


Control, Chaos, and Corgis

by RockSaltAndRoll, Shortsighted_Owl



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Angst, Biting, Blow Jobs, Hate Sex, House sharing, Love/Hate, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mentions of Abusive Parent, Multiple Orgasms, Not as cute as it first seems, Orgasm Denial, Rimming, Roly poly corgi!BB-8, Romantic Comedy, Scratching, Sexual Fantasy, WONDERFUL FRIENDS, sex bruises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-15 04:53:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 89,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5772070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockSaltAndRoll/pseuds/RockSaltAndRoll, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shortsighted_Owl/pseuds/Shortsighted_Owl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hux and Ben are new roommates and although it might not have gone swimmingly at first, they're actually starting to get along much to the joy of their friends.</p><p>And then it all goes wrong, a miscommunication spiralling into a rut of spiteful actions and hate sex as they both try to get the upper hand. </p><p>Mental health issues and a lifetime of emotional repression cause them to almost destroy themselves in their cycle of one-upmanship when they realise they might actually care about each other after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ben Solo broke into a run at the top of the street, long legs covering a lot of ground in the shortest time possible as he checked his watch: he was running late, and that was never a good thing for a house viewing. It had taken him long enough to find a place in a decent area, so he’d done everything he possibly could in order to make the viewing in plenty of time...except he hadn’t counted on losing track of time at the library and the weekend crowds on the trains. Thankfully, Ben was only five minutes behind schedule and was in pretty decent fitness – running helped make up for time lost elsewhere.

The flat in question was halfway between the central district and the suburbs; full of large, older houses that had been separated off into apartments of varying sizes. Some had balconies and others had roof gardens or yards with pretty potted plants, and if Ben was honest with himself, rent that was generally too high for one person. However, the flat he was viewing was two-bedroom and he’d be sharing with its current occupant. Ben had lived in his fair share of student digs and dives during his university life so he didn’t mind having a flatmate. In fact, he quite liked the idea.

Only slightly out of breath, Ben ground to a halt in front of a flat-roofed, two-storey building made of orange brick and yellow sandstone, with high white-framed windows and a large, solid white door. The intercom held four buttons with a name next to each, and Ben pressed the one labelled ‘Hux’ as he quickly ran a hand over his hair and checked that his shirt collar was straight. He’d picked his smartest outfit in order to make a good first impression: indigo jeans, free of wear and tear; a navy shirt with pin-stripes of damson and mauve; and a vintage army greatcoat that had once belonged to Ben’s beloved grandfather. All in all, he looked pretty decent.

The occupant of the Hux home didn’t even answer the intercom and just went straight to pressing his corresponding button instead. The heavy white door clicked open with an accompanying buzz and Ben went inside, stopping dead as he saw a man standing with arms folded over his chest, watching him from the door of apartment A. He was tall, although not quite as tall as Ben; with neat strawberry blond hair and very sharp, pointed features; his mouth pressed into a disapproving line as pale eyes surveyed Ben from top to bottom.

“Ben Solo?” he asked; his tone cool but soft.

Ben flashed the man his most disarming smile and nodded.

“That’s me!”

“You’re late,” Hux replied. “Come in.”

The redhead turned and retreated into the apartment, beckoning Ben to follow. Ben grimaced – he was only five minutes late, but apparently his prospective flat mate took appointments seriously. Taking a deep breath, Ben walked after him and his jaw dropped as he stepped over the threshold.

The inside of the apartment was just as spectacular as the outside: plush carpet throughout; walls painted in a neutral colour with brighter accents at the skirtings, and a couch and matching armchair with soft coverings and deep seats. Ben was internally screaming with joy.

“Can I get you a drink?” asked Hux.

Ben’s brain immediately went to beer, but thankfully checked itself before speaking.

“Just water, thank you,” he replied.

He didn’t ever think he’d been to such a formal house viewing before – it was more like a job interview than anything else. After being shown around a pristine house with a gleaming kitchen, a squeaky clean bathroom, and a more than sizeable second bedroom; Ben found himself sitting on the couch with Hux in the armchair, seriously scanning a neat batch of paperwork in front of him.

“So...Ben,” Hux began. “Your application states that you’re doing a second PhD.”

“Yes,” Ben replied, a little too soon after taking a sip of water that made his voice croak slightly. “Twentieth Century Warfare.”

“Military family?”

“Uh, not since my grandfather. I never had the honour of meeting him, but he was a war hero and...something of a personal hero too.”

The corners of Hux’s mouth curved upwards slightly.

“I can appreciate that,” he replied quietly.

“It’s always been a fascination for me,” Ben added. “History, that is – there’s just so much the past can teach us; so much we can learn from and apply to what we do in the present and the future. I found that when I got to the end of my first PhD that there was so much more I wanted to know.”

Hux’s fair eyebrows arched upwards.

“You like learning?”

“Can’t get enough of it,” Ben replied with a smile.

Cool green eyes studied him for a second before Hux gave a slight nod.

“Might I ask why a PhD student is looking for somewhere to live several months after the start of the academic year?”

Ben had thankfully anticipated this question. It wasn’t anything terrible, but could definitely seem embarrassing unless it was worded correctly.

“I couldn’t find anywhere suitable at the start of the term, so I’ve been staying with family,” Ben replied. “I’ve been looking for somewhere else the entire time, but this was the first place that’s actually been perfectly suited.”

Ben had been living with his parents for a while, and although they were both loving and supportive people, they could be suffocating and Ben didn’t feel like he had the freedom to be himself in their home.

Hux nodded again.

“How soon were you hoping to move?” he asked.

“Ideally, as soon as possible,” replied Ben with a grin. “I have three months or so worth of rent money all ready to go, so I’m just really waiting for somebody to give me a room.”

Hux’s green eyes narrowed for a second before warming.

“How would tomorrow sound?”

Ben’s heart beat faster in celebration.

“Tomorrow would be perfect.”

 

****

 

Sweat dripped into his eyes but Hux kept going, blinking it away as his fists thudded rhythmically into the heavy pads. Phasma held her ground, as sturdy as a brick wall; silently watching him. It was how Hux wound down at the end of the day: training in Phasma’s gym until he could barely breathe and she made him stop. She was good like that; always looking out for him because sometimes Hux ignored or didn’t recognise his own limits; a slight failure of his upbringing.

His shoulders burned and he could tell his aim was getting sloppy; Phasma’s stance altering slightly. He stopped a split second before she called it.

“I think that’s enough for today,” Phasma murmured, dropping her arms as Hux stepped back.

“Yes,” he agreed; breathlessly.

He unstrapped his boxing gloves as Phasma casually tossed the heavy pads to the side and moves to help him unwind his wrapped hands.

“So,” she said, conversationally. “You finally rented your spare room!”

Hux slowly nodded, still trying to catch his breath as he pushed his sweat-soaked hair back from his face.

“What are they like?”

He looked up at his friend and shrugged.

“He seems decent. PhD student – 20th Century Warfare.”

Phasma nodded in approval.

“That sounds wonderfully boring,” she replied; dryly. “He’d suit you perfectly.”

Hux raised his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. Only Phasma was allowed to tease him like that and get away with it.

“Are you saying I’m boring?”

“Not in the slightest,” she replied with a grin. “But you are particular, so I’m very pleased that you’ve found somebody you think you can live with.”

Hux couldn’t argue with Phasma there: he was incredibly particular about a lot of things. Hux had brought up to be ordered, tidy, reserved, and controlled. His father had held a good military commission and had raised his son as though he were one of his cadets. It hadn’t exactly been a happy childhood, nor had it been filled with warmth or love.

Hux’s father hadn’t been one to indulge the usual frivolities of children, so Hux had grown up playing chess and reading extensively, prioritising his education and physical fitness over anything else. His father had wanted him to join the military but Hux lacked his father’s physical prowess – he hadn’t inherited Brandol Hux’s broad shoulders or his ability to put on muscle in bulk. He had shot up in his early teens, towering above all of the other cadets but unlike everybody else, Hux had stayed wiry instead of filling out.

Hux was almost sure it was embarrassment on his father’s part more than anything else when he allowed his son to pursue a career beyond the military. Hux had been almost groomed from birth to be a highly commissioned officer and although he had everything they required in intellectual abilities, his physical characteristics left much to be desired, at least by Brandol Hux.

However, his militaristic upbringing had influenced how Hux liked to keep his surroundings: everything in its place; everything ordered; everything neat. He tended to get incredibly stressed and irritable if things were not ‘just-so’.

“I’m hopeful,” he replied as he rolled up his wraps and stashed them neatly in his kit bag.

“What does he look like?” Phasma continued as she handed Hux a towel. “Is he my type?”

“Do you even have a type?” Hux asked; genuinely interested.

“I’m not sure. I’ll tell you if I ever find out.”

Hux laughed as he dabbed at the back of his neck with the towel and folded it carefully.

The change that came over his face when he laughed was actually very dramatic and didn’t happen too often. His eyes crinkled at the corners, his nose wrinkled slightly, and his mouth split wide when he laughed – Hux father had never found it to be a very dignified laugh and had discouraged it; an action that Phasma had worked hard to reverse. She always said it was one of his best features, but Hux rarely showed it to anyone else.

“Dinner?” Phasma asked as they began to pack up. “I’m always worried that you’re going to waste away with the intensity in which you work out.”

Hux glanced down at himself, taking in the narrow chest and flat stomach; the waist that nipped in and eased out again over slightly rounded hips. He was incredibly slim, yet not skinny – he had lean muscle that padded out his bones, making his body less sharp even with his lack of bulk. His physique was owed partly to his intense boxing regime, and partly to Phasma’s excellent nutritional skills.

“I have to do something to counter your meals,” he murmured. “You’ll make me fat.”

Phasma grinned and prodded him playfully in the ribs.

Most of their evenings passed this way. Hux and Phasma had been friends for years - exceptionally tall, blond and muscular; Phasma was a personal trainer who ran the small independent training hall not far from their home where Hux liked to box. Often, after training, they would go home and sit in Phasma’s kitchen, eating her delicious and nutritionally tailored home-cooked meals with a glass or two of red wine.

“And you’re sure you’re not rushing into things?” Phasma asked half an hour later as she placed two plates of teriyaki salmon and stir-fried vegetable noodles on the table.

Hux shrugged marginally as he sat and picked up his fork.

“I interviewed seven people for this room,” Hux replied quietly. “He seemed to be the wisest choice, and I really need to get this room rented as soon as possible otherwise I won’t be able to meet the bill payments.”

“Fair enough,” she said. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

 

****

 

Ben had borrowed his dad’s beat up old Millennium Falcon to transport boxes of books and bags of clothes to his new home. The car was Han Solo’s pride and joy; covered in long, shaggy dog hair and with a terrible habit of making the most horrendous and terrifying noises, but it was reliable enough even if it was garbage.

Hux had given him the key code to the building and a key to the flat in exchange for Ben’s rent money, and had just told him to make himself at home. Ben thought Hux to be a little uptight and icy, but generally decent. He seemed quiet and reserved, so even though he might take a little while to warm up, Ben at least thought he’d be able to study without a great risk of being disturbed. Hux was probably one of those people who were wary around strangers at first but were pretty amiable once they got to know you.

Propping open the main door with a plant pot, Ben began gathering up some of his smaller boxes and stacking them on top of each other in order to carry them into the apartment. He was just passing through the main white door when he was almost mown down by an orange and white blur dashing between his legs. Ben overbalanced, letting out a yell as he felt his body go one way and the boxes go another, hoping there was nothing breakable in any of them as he’d never save both himself and his stuff.

Suddenly, Ben felt himself pushed upright by a strong pair of hands at the same time the stack of boxes halted their descent onto the pavement and were hauled back into his grip.

“Whoa there, buddy!” said a friendly voice, just behind him. “So sorry about that!”

Ben turned his head and found himself looking at an incredibly good-looking man with a friendly smile and his hands gently resting on Ben’s shoulders.

“Uh...thank you,” Ben managed.

A sharp yip at his feet caused Ben to tear his eyes away from the handsome stranger and look down where a very rotund and happy-looking corgi was being restrained by another incredibly good-looking man; younger than the first but with an equally friendly smile.

“No, it was our fault entirely,” said the man with the corgi. “BB-8 tends to get a little over-excited when he meets new people.”

“Here,” said the first guy, reaching up to take Ben’s boxes from him. “Lemme help you with those. You Hux’s new lodger?”

Ben nodded.

“Yeah. Ben Solo.”

 “I’m Poe Dameron. This is my husband, Finn and our dog, BB-8. We live upstairs.”

“Really?” Ben replied, on autopilot as he followed Poe through the door.

A lot of conflicted emotions flowed through him. Firstly, his new neighbours were both gorgeous. Secondly, they were married to each other so Ben didn’t stand a chance with either of them unless they were somehow into threesomes. Lastly, the second issue didn’t really matter all that much because his neighbours were both friendly and helpful, so really he’d hit the jackpot with this place.

“Welcome to the building,” said Finn, keeping a strong grip on the roly-poly wriggly corgi with one arm whilst extending a hand to Ben in greeting.

Having the help of two other people made moving in go much quicker than Ben had anticipated, and in no time all of his boxes were stacked neatly in the corner of his new bedroom. The décor was a bit plain for Ben’s liking, but Hux had supplied pillows, covers, and bed linen; all freshly washed, ironed, and folded on the bed. He would get around to making it feel homier soon enough, once all of his things had been unpacked and arranged to his liking.

“Hux? You here, buddy?” Poe called from the hallway.

A resounding silence answered him and Finn shrugged at Ben, flashing him a charming smile.

“I guess he’s not,” he replied.

Ben grinned at him.

“That’s fine. It gives me the chance to get settled in before he gets home.”

“Well,” said Poe, clapping Ben heartily on the shoulder. “If you’re still alone at dinnertime and you find yourself hungry, come upstairs and we’ll feed you.”

“It’ll probably only be pasta with cheese sauce and steak though, because that’s all Poe knows how to cook.”

Ben laughed as Poe cast his husband a look of mock hurt and moved to take the fat, squirming corgi.

“Thanks,” he replied. “You’ve both been amazing.”

“No problem!”

Ten minutes after they left, Ben was already bored with unpacking. Clothes were unceremoniously shoved into drawers; books were haphazardly piled onto the shelves with a mind to sort them out later; and he left his grandfather’s war memorabilia safely packed away until he had more patience. Picking up the box containing his console and games, Ben carried it through to the living room and set it down on the floor next to the TV before straightening up and looking around him.

The flat really was immaculate: it didn’t seem like there was a single speck of dust anywhere in the place. Ben ran his hand over the arm of the couch, thoughtfully – it was soft; made of some kind of chenille and a deep teal in colour which matched the curtains and the skirtings that ran along the bottom of the walls. The walls and carpet were grey, like a pale river stone; light and fresh and in perfect contrast to the deep teal furniture; very tasteful.

Ben’s eyes came to rest on a small maple coffee table next to the plush armchair by the window which held the most beautiful chess set Ben had ever seen in his life: the most perfectly carved figurines of foot soldiers, knights, bishops, King and Queen in both ivory and ebony, inlaid with mother of pearl. The board looked like it was halfway through a game and Ben dared not move anything even as he studied the tiny faces in detail.

After setting up his console in the living room, Ben ventured into the kitchen and pulled open all the drawers and cupboards. Everything was spotless black marble and brilliant white wood; the cutlery neatly lined up in the drawers; all the plates perfectly aligned in the cupboard. Ben let out a low whistle at his new flatmate’s organisational skills, wondering what kind of a person kept their house looking more like a show home than something that was lived in. It was nothing at all like the home he’d just left behind; full of mismatched crockery, over-filled laundry baskets, and dog hair covering almost everything.

There was almost no food in the house at all, which made Ben very grateful for Poe and Finn’s invitation to dinner later. He would go grocery shopping in the morning, unless of course that was where Hux was at that moment – getting groceries so that his new flatmate would feel welcome and not starve. Ben had to admit, he was very intrigued by Hux...and even more curious to know if that was the man’s first name or his last.

He’d find out soon enough. He was rather looking forward to it, honestly.

 

****

 

“I’ve made a terrible mistake,” Hux groaned into the phone at eight o’clock in the morning, two days later.

“With what?” replied Phasma; calmly.

“My choice of flatmate.”

Phasma leaned against the wall next to a rack of weights and ran a hand through her short, blonde hair, sighing gently. She’d been expecting this to be quite frank. It was just a feeling she’d had ever since Hux had told her he’d rented his spare room that something was going to go tits-up. Phasma was honestly more surprised that it had taken as long as two days.

“Come on then,” she replied. “What’s he done?”

Hux groaned again.

“The state of my second bedroom is just awful,” he grumbled. “It looks like a bomb fell on it.”

“He has only been moved in for two days, Hux,” Phasma replied; reasonably. “He’s probably still unpacking.”

“No,” Hux said; firmly. “Still unpacking implies that things are still largely inside the boxes. Everything is definitely outside of the boxes and all over every available surface. I couldn’t see the floor at all when I looked in.”

“What were you doing looking in?”

“The door was open.”

“Ah ha...”

“Anyway,” Hux continued, “I went to pin something to the notice board in the kitchen this morning, and he’s gone and drawn a smiley face next to the gas bill.”

“A smiley face?”

“It’s just so unnecessary!” he hissed.

Phasma rubbed her temple gently and sighed again.

“These are not exactly major crimes here, darling.”

“He was sitting in my chair when I got home last night,” added Hux; quietly.

“Oh, well in that case...”

It might have seemed silly to most, but Hux was very particular. Everything had to be in the correct place; everything ordered; and he didn’t like it when people sat in his favoured place. Phasma thought that somebody should have possibly explained this to Ben Solo before he’d moved in – she could only imagine that Hux’s peculiarities could be difficult to live with at times.”

“What am I going to do?” he mumbled.

“Stop worrying so much about it,” she replied soothingly. “He’s been there two days – as stressful as it might be for you, he IS still just moving in. It’ll get better; just give him a bit of time to settle in.”

Hux sighed heavily.

“You’re right. I’m overreacting.”

“Work it off tonight,” she suggested. “Come to the gym after work; you can box for an hour and then I’ll make us something nice for dinner.”

“Sounds perfect,” Hux replied; relieved. “What would I do without you?”

“Crash and burn, most likely,” said Phasma with a grin.

Hux’s stress would pass, she was sure of it. He just didn’t react well to changes in his environment, so it was up to Phasma to support him through it. It would all be fine.

 

****

 

“Ben!”

The voice surprised him as he paused to unlock the front door to his flat, and he looked up to find Finn beaming at him from the top of the stairs.

“Hey!” he called back, smiling as an excited corgi wobbled down the stairs towards him, followed by his new neighbour.

“How’s it going?” asked Finn. “You settling in okay?”

“Uh...yeah. Kind of.”

Finn raised an eyebrow as Ben stooped to pet the orange dog that was leaning heavily against his leg, tail wagging so fast Ben was sure it could fall off.

“Kind of?”

Ben sighed, straightening.

“Yeah, I....”

In all honesty, he didn’t know what to say. Ben had lived with a lot of people over the years but none had ever been as difficult as Hux.

“Can I ask you something?” Ben asked.

“Sure.”

“Is Hux always...I mean...is there something wrong with me?”

Finn looked surprised.

“No! Why do you ask?”

Right from the start, Ben had tried to make a good impression on his new flatmate but it really wasn’t going well. When Hux was ever in the same house, he barely looked at Ben never mind spoke to him and whenever Ben tried to strike up a conversation, Hux was either very awkward or blanked him completely.

Ben hadn’t even seen Hux at all over the past twenty-four hours; the only evidence of him having actually been in the house was the fact that he’d tidied up Ben’s console games and arranged them alphabetically on a bookshelf so that Ben had searched for a good half hour just to find them.

He really felt like he was trying; being nice; buying in groceries and cooking, but none of his efforts were being recognised or appreciated. It was starting to get Ben down, and he told Finn as much. His new neighbour gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

“Hux is a good guy, really,” he told Ben. “It just sometimes takes him a little while to warm up – he’s like that with everybody. He was like that with us.”

Ben found it almost impossible that anyone could be cold towards Finn and Poe Dameron; a couple that radiated warmth and acceptance the second you met them, and Ben really didn’t have any other basis of comparison so he concluded it must be something wrong with him.

If things didn’t look up before the weekend, Ben resolved to take his new roommate out for a beer or something so they could chat and get to know each other. He didn’t know if he could handle living in a house with a guy who hated even the sight of him.

 

****

 

Hux sighed heavily as he passed the small local grocery shop and paused in front of the automatic doors as he considered going inside and buying a bottle of wine or two. Unfortunately, he knew that if he bought two bottles, he’d end up drinking them both by himself and venture into work the next day in a heavy cloud of merlot hangover which was not ideal when you were dealing with the country’s finances. It had been an awful, hard day though; trying to help pull the country’s economy up by its bootstraps and wine was definitely needed, especially if he had to deal with Ben.

The flat used to be Hux’s sanctuary – his quiet, ordered haven away from the hustle and bustle and chaos of the outside world. Hux’s former flatmate had been an introverted sort: tidy and reclusive and not at all prone to loud music or noise of any kind. Unfortunately this spectacular breed of house mate had found a better paid job elsewhere and had moved to be closer to it, leaving Hux with an empty room and not enough money to pay all the bills himself. Hux had placed an ad for a new lodger out of necessity.

On paper, Ben Solo sounded like the perfect flatmate: twenty nine and single; holding a BA in politics, a Masters in philosophy, one PhD in Medieval History, and was at that moment working through a second in 20th Century Warfare; and a martial arts enthusiast. Coming from a military family and having a fondness for boxing, Hux had thought they’d have plenty in common and three month’s rent upfront also went a long way in helping Hux pick this particular man to rent his spare room to. After a week it was painfully evident that they were as different as night and day, and Hux had never regretted a decision so much in his entire life. Academically, Ben was sensational but where Hux had expected somebody, well, sensible; what he received was somebody more like an overgrown child.

It had been the longest week and Hux was exhausted from trying so hard to be laid back about everything. At first he’d thought he was just being petty; picking at minor things like Ben’s doodling on the utility bills or the mess in Ben’s room that didn’t actually affect Hux personally – it was just that the knowledge of it irked him. Ben seemed friendly enough but during that first week, the problems quickly began to pile up.

Twice Hux had come home to the kitchen in a terrible mess. Not only were his cupboards and fridge now stuffed with lean meat and whole what pasta, but also vodka and chocolate and Ben had used at least three pans to make a meal, leaving them dirty and piled in the sink.

Ben had failed three times to use a coaster for his drinks, and Hux was starting the think Ben was doing it out of spite now instead of genuinely forgetting.

His clothes had begun to migrate from his bedroom and into the living room – jeans, t-shirt, and sweater had been left in an ungainly heap on the arm of the couch while Ben had gone for a shower; and speaking of that, Hux had come home to find Ben still in his towel, hair damp and soaking through to the soft chenille of the cushion as he played Bioshock. Hux had been so horrified for the fate of his couch that he’d pretty much turned and walked straight back out of the flat.

There was one other small thing that had concerned Hux, and that was the fact that his new flat mate seemed to have a temper. Hux had no idea what had caused the outburst, but he’d been woken in the early hours of the morning to the sound of Ben trashing his own room; books hurled across the room; something heavy and possibly plastic being smashed; a short scream of fury.

Hux’s ordered and peaceful bubble had been well and truly burst, and he’d found himself spending increasingly more time with his neighbours in order to avoid Ben and preserve his calm.

He sighed again as he purchased two bottles of his favourite merlot and a chocolate cheesecake, and headed home, or more specifically, to Phasma’s.

 “Why don’t you just ask him to leave?” suggested Phasma as she uncorked Hux’s second wine bottle for him and refilled his glass.

Normally neat and tidy, Hux was decidedly less so with a bottle of wine in his belly – his jacket lay abandoned in Phasma’s hallway, his tie askew, a good three shirt buttons undone, and his hair sticking up where he’d been tugging at it absently. Hux had also gone through most of the chocolate cheesecake by himself in an attempt to soak up the wine but it had only succeeded in making him feel a little sick.

“I can’t,” he replied morosely. “He paid three month’s rent upfront.”

“Give it back?”

“That’s not really an option,” he mumbled into his glass. “I’ve already calculated all the outgoings for the next three months and I can’t make my payments without it. The money is already tied up – I can’t do without it.”

Phasma sighed and rolled her blue eyes to the ceiling.

“Well then, I’d say you were buggered.”

“Yep.”

Hux took another large slurp of his wine and stared at the pristine surface of Phasma’s kitchen table.

“Why don’t you just talk to him?” said Phasma; gently. “He probably doesn’t even realise his behaviour is bothering you.”

“You’re right,” Hux replied, sitting up straight in the plastic chair that he’d started to sink into. “I should just tell him to stop it. It’s my home; he should have more respect…”

“Well, maybe don’t put it quite like that,” she murmured, picking up her glass of mineral water.

Hux waved his hand dismissively.

“No, no. Of course not.”

He drained his glass, suddenly feeling a lot more positive about the situation. He would talk to Ben, and he would use reason and logic and make his messy flatmate see the error of his ways. Right after he finished this second bottle of wine.

 

****

 

Ben was pretty much used to doing whatever he wanted around his new flat already. His flatmate was rarely seen: Ben just catching glimpses of the tall, slim redhead in an impeccable suit as he breezed out early or came in late. He couldn’t quite figure out what Hux did with his spare time if he wasn’t at home. The man didn’t strike Ben as the friendliest of people, so it wasn’t likely Hux was out with friends every night and as far as Ben knew, Hux worked for the government and civil servants didn’t work all that late. Every time Ben had tried to contact anything government-run, they had all knocked off by five in the evening and it was so much later than that whenever Hux emerged.

Ben wasn’t actually too pleased about being on his own. It wasn’t the best thing for him to be left with his own thoughts for too long so he had to find something to stimulate his brain and stop himself from freaking out. His Uncle Luke had once tried to teach him to meditate but Ben hadn’t been the best of students – sometimes his brain was just too noisy to block it all out, which is why he often went for something louder.

After a shower and something to eat, Ben had sat down on the couch with his towel wrapped securely around his waist and begun to play Portal on his console. The noise was enough to drown out his constant thinking and it also gave him something to focus on completely so Ben enjoyed himself and forgot all about being alone, playing for hours until he heard the front door open.

It took a moment longer than expected for his new flatmate to reach the living room and Ben almost laughed when he saw him. Hux always looked immaculate: three-piece suits for work every day and hair perfectly styled; but the Hux who leaned heavily against the open door, blinking at the strong light was an absolute mess. His tie was missing; jacket trailing from his left hand and most of his shirt buttons undone. Strawberry blond hair was sticking up on one side as though Hux had been tugging at it and he was swaying gently on the spot. The man was most definitely drunk.

“Had a good night?” Ben asked with a grin.

Pale green eyes shifted slowly to him, cold as ice and making Ben shiver involuntarily.

“No,” Hux replied; quietly. “No I have not. In fact, I have spent the entire evening contemplating how you are, in fact, the worst person I have ever suffered to live with.”

Ben blinked. Hux might as well have just walked in and slapped him in the face for the surprise of it all – he didn’t understand what he’d possibly done so wrong in the week that he’d lived there in order to piss Hux off so much, but he didn’t even get a chance to ask before Hux continued.

“When I accepted your application, I thought I was getting a flatmate who was mature and respectful but it appears that I’ve made a terrible miscalculation. You are slovenly: every night this week, I’ve come home to my home looking as though somebody dropped a bomb on it! You seem to use every dish in the house when you cook and leave food to dry and harden on them all. Your clothes are everywhere – dirty; clean...I just don’t know but they are everywhere that they shouldn’t be. You are sitting...on my COUCH...in just a TOWEL! Have you any idea how inappropriate that is?”

Ben’s jaw dropped as he stared at his swaying flatmate.

Of course he knew he was a little messy, but so was everyone. Ben didn’t think he’d been terrible to live with – it wasn’t as though he blasted loud music in the middle of the night or used all the hot water or had stolen Hux’s wallet. It was a bit of mess, and given the permanent state of Ben’s head he was actually doing pretty well.

Hux hiccupped slightly and took a step forward, green eyes narrowing.

“You need to have more respect for other people and their property otherwise you’re going to find yourself out of here pretty fast.”

“Wow,” Ben replied, finally finding his voice. “You know, I thought you were okay but now I know you’re actually an asshole!”

Hux bristled, drawing himself up as straight as he could manage as Ben got to his feet too. They stood opposite each other, glowering; only an inch or so between them in height. Something imperceptible flashed in Hux’s eyes as he glanced down at Ben’s barely clothed body; nose wrinkling slightly in what Ben took to be disgust.

“So, we can add abject rudeness to your list of unattractive qualities,” he muttered.

“You know what?” Ben said. “You could have said something. At any point this week, you could have said something to me, but instead you bottle it all up and wait until you’re completely wasted...”

“I am not!” Hux replied indignantly.

“Oh, you are,” countered Ben. “You’re fucking smashed, and you think it’s a good idea to threaten me?”

“What are you going to do?” Hux said; sarcastically. “Throw me against the wall? Or do you only do that to your own things? Please, let me know so I can decide if I need to update my insurance policy.”

Ben went very still. He’d had a bad night the night before and freaked out somewhat – he didn’t think Hux had heard but obviously it had been a little louder than he’d anticipated. Ben could already feel his blood boiling again at the thought that this skinny ginger rat had been lying in bed, listening to it, storing the information to use against him later. He watched Hux as he straightened and ran a hand through his dishevelled hair; eyes cold and a flush from the alcohol spread across his pale skin, creeping down his chest. Ben didn’t know what to think or what to do with this information or the man standing in front of him as he tried to swallow down a maelstrom of feelings.

Taking a deep breath, Ben took a step back.

“You should go to bed...before you embarrass yourself further,” he said, quietly; hands clenched at his sides.

Hux sniffed as he drew himself up taller.

“You might have the common decency to put some clothes on when you sit on my couch,” he countered primly.

Ben watched, mouth open as Hux turned and stumbled away from him, jacket still trailing from his left hand and open shirt starting to slip from his shoulders.

“FUCK YOU!” Ben shouted after him, finally finding his voice again.

“You wish,” Hux spat in response.

Ben’s controller hit the wall where Hux’s head had been just seconds before, smashing into pieces that clattered to the floor and embedded in the carpet. Ben was left shaking with anger, staring at the empty doorway as the door to Hux’s room slam shut.

 

****

 

In her kitchen, Phasma sighed and drained the dregs from Hux’s abandoned wine glass.

“Well,” she murmured to the empty room. “That definitely could have gone better.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Hux awoke to the room spinning slightly, a dry mouth, and a head that felt as though it had been stuffed with cotton balls. Groaning softly, he covered his face with his hands and regretted every decision he’d made over the previous twelve hours.

It was Saturday, but the country was in the process of economic meltdown so Hux had to work. Trying to sort out the country’s finances while hungover was, however, the least of Hux’s problems as his slowly waking brain processed exactly what had happened the night before. He’d drank two bottles of red wine and threatened his new flatmate with eviction, which hadn’t really been his intention. Yes, some of the things Ben had done during the week had caused Hux a small amount of anguish but it all could have been easily resolved...except Hux had gone and got blindingly drunk at Phasma’s and let out a tirade of verbal abuse.

What made it all a million times worse was the fact that Hux was getting hangover flashbacks to Ben Solo standing in his living room with damp, black hair and nothing on but a towel. Hux could even clearly recall the way Ben’s hair curled at the ends; the broadness of his bare shoulders; the toned stomach that disappeared into a low-riding green towel...

Hux groaned again and rolled reluctantly out of bed. It wasn’t going to do him any good to think like that, especially since he’d made an absolute mess of whatever hint he’d had of a decent relationship with his new flatmate. It was only the alcohol talking anyway – as soon as he was completely sober, all thoughts of Ben Solo’s mostly naked body would disappear with the foggy feeling in his head. Sighing, he plodded through the silent flat towards the bathroom.

A sharp pain in his foot caused Hux to look down. He had to squint slightly as he was neither wearing his glasses or his contact lenses, but in the dawn gloom he could just about make out the shape of a console controller in fragments. Hux grimaced – that had been his fault too; enraging his poor new lodger with the drunken threat of eviction and getting something thrown at his head because of it. He would probably have thrown something too.

On the train to work half an hour later, painkillers and caffeine slowly chasing away the worst of his mugginess, Hux bought a new controller for Ben’s console through his smartphone; opting for delivery by courier later the same day. He hoped it would go some way to making up for being an utter dick the night before.

Phasma was right – Ben wasn’t at all a bad flatmate; he was just different to what Hux was used to and Hux didn’t like change. He’d get over the dishes and get used to clothes being left on his couch, just like everybody else in the world did. They just had to work something out...and it would help if Hux stopped drinking so much wine before attempting a civilised conversation. He didn’t like what happened to him when he had too much alcohol in his system. Normally Hux was an expert at keeping himself in check; but drunk, his control got sloppy and he said things that he’d barely even think about under normal circumstances.

He’d talk to Ben again; sober this time. Hux would fix this.

 

****

 

Ben had been seething in the university library all morning, unable to concentrate on research and always in constant fear that he’d rip one of the priceless war documents that he had special permission to read. He might just cry if he did that and end up a snivelling, snotty mess in the middle of the library – not that it was a very uncommon sight around there, but still incredibly undignified. Ben eventually gave up after a few hours and headed home.

Home. What a funny word, he thought. It should really have been ‘his flat’ because it certainly didn’t feel like home at this point. Ben was so angry at Hux and that rod that was rammed so hard up his backside he was surprised it didn’t come out the top of his head. Their argument the night before had been dreadful and Ben hadn’t even seen it coming. Yes, he knew that Hux had been rather standoffish over the last week but never had Ben dreamed that Hux would be making a mental note of all Ben’s faults as a flatmate only to launch them back at him in a drunken tirade.

A small part of his brain was trying to tell him that people said all kinds of shit they didn’t really mean when they were drunk, but it didn’t mean that Ben still wasn’t hurt by it all. If Hux had such a bee in his bonnet about anything Ben had or had not done over his first week, then he should have just said something. Nicely.

Ben had forgotten all about his smashed controller until he got back and stepped on the black plastic remains still lying on the living room carpet by the door. He regretted it: throwing his controller at Hux’s retreating head in anger. Ben had a spare controller but that was beside the point.

He was about to start picking up the damaged electronics when he was startled by a brief, curt knock on the door and a girl of about eighteen barged in with the Damerons’ corgi at her heels. She stopped and beamed when she saw Ben, standing mournfully over the remains of his broken controller.

“Oh hello!” she said brightly. “You must be Hux’s new flat mate.”

Her smile was dazzling: wide and friendly; for a moment, Ben couldn’t find his voice and just stared at her dumbly as she strode forward, thrust a small box into his hands, and moved past him to the kitchen with BB-8 happily following her.

“Uh...”

Ben barely glanced at the box as he walked after her, pausing at the kitchen door to find the girl peering into his fridge with disappointment.

“Nothing in here but vodka and chocolate,” she mused. “I thought at least now there might be some actual food in this flat, but it seems I was wrong!”

Ben blinked as she stood up straight. The girl was very pretty; her brown hair tied back in a high ponytail and clothed in faded old jeans and an oversized shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. She was obviously familiar with Hux’s apartment, but Ben had absolutely no idea who she was.

“Sorry,” he said, finally finding his voice. “You are?”

“Oh, I’m Rey!” she exclaimed, bounding forward with her hand outstretched.

“Ben.”

“I guessed as much,” Rey replied; cheerfully. “Since you’re definitely not Hux and the package is addressed to ‘Ben Solo’.”

Ben looked down at the box in his hands again, confused. He was positive he hadn’t ordered anything, but she was right – it was definitely his name on the box. Company of ‘Hux’. Ben was suddenly even more confused than he had been a moment before.

“So, where do you live?” Ben asked her as he dug a fingernail into the brown packing tape and began peeling it away from the cardboard.

“In the building.”

Ben grinned.

“I guessed that,” he replied. “I meant which flat?”

Rey shrugged and leaned against the kitchen worktop.

“All of them, really.”

Ben looked up from the box and frowned. Rey shrugged again.

“Everyone has a kind-of open door policy,” she explained. “I met Finn last year and he introduced me to Jessika who lives in apartment D. She’s a pilot and she’s away a lot, so I house-sit; and when she’s back, I sort of stay with Finn and Poe...and sometimes, Phasma.”

“Phasma?”

Ben looked up as he tore the packing tape from the box and scrunched it up into a ball.

“In the flat next to yours – tall, blonde...Amazonian goddess?”

Ben grinned.

“I’ve not had the pleasure yet,” he told her.

Finally, he managed to get into the box; ripping off the layer of bubble wrap to reveal a small black controller, identical to the one that still lay in pieces on the living room floor. A bizarre mix of emotions raced through him in a split second – surprise; confusion; guilt.

“Is everything okay?” Rey asked; frowning as she crouched to pet the happy corgi at her feet.

“Uh...”

Ben looked up from the controller and gave Rey a weak smile. He didn’t know the girl at all, but she was friendly and Ben liked her immediately. Besides, he wanted somebody to talk to and Rey was here and showing no signs of leaving any time soon. Ben sighed and shrugged.

“Hux and I got into a fight last night,” he explained. “He was a dick; I threw my controller at him...”

“Oh, shit,” Rey murmured.

Ben held up the controller.

“He bought me a new one. Now _I_ feel like a dick.” Ben paused, looking at Rey thoughtfully.  “Do you like pizza and Halo?”

“Is there anyone who doesn’t?” Rey replied, grinning at him from the floor.

Ben shrugged.

“There’ll be a few.”

“Well then, they don’t know what they’re missing!”

He laughed.

“Well, if you have a few hours spare then I can order something? I have two controllers again, so we can play?”

Giving BB-8 a brief scratch behind both of his large orange ears, Rey beamed happily up at Ben.

“I’d love to,” she said.

Half an hour later and Rey was kicking Ben’s ass at Halo whilst simultaneously eating pepperoni pizza and cackling gleefully. BB-8 was happily working his way through a tray of kebab meat on the floor, which Ben had ordered specially for him.

So many things puzzled him about the set-up in this apartment building. From what he could piece together without asking too many prying questions, Rey was a former foster kid who had been making a living from scavenging and repairing old electronics and selling them on. She’d slept in shelters for a bit until meeting Finn Dameron the year before and since then she’d been pretty much adopted by everyone in the building. Just like Poe and Finn who lived upstairs, Ben thought it impossible that anyone could not love Rey the second they met her, and even somebody as frosty as Hux had opened his door to her. Not for the first time since he’d moved in, Ben wondered if there was just something unlikeable about him.

“So what was your fight about?” Rey asked around a mouthful of pizza.

Ben shrugged.

“I don’t really even know,” he replied. “Hux was drunk and he just started mouthing off.”

“Ah,” murmured Rey; knowledgably. “Yeah, that happens sometimes. Usually it’s pretty hilarious – like the time he ripped this guy a new one at Finn and Poe’s engagement because he was insulting them. But yeah, sometimes he has a bit of a mean streak – it usually manifests after his father visits.”

Ben’s right eyebrow arched upwards.

“Daddy issues?”

“Massive,” Rey confirmed. “But I swear, if you say anything to him about it, I will kill you with my bare hands. I’m not supposed to know about it either, but Phasma told me.”

Phasma again, Ben thought. She sounded like somebody Ben would really have to talk to if he wanted to know more about his flatmate.

“I guess,” he said after a while, “that I was doing some things that were bothering him a little and he bottled them up. It was dumb; we both were assholes...”

“Well, he replaced your controller,” said Rey. “I would take that as an apology – he’s feeling bad about it.”

“Yeah?”

Rey smiled at him.

“Hux isn’t a ‘bad’ person,” she told him. “I think you two just need to get used to each other, that’s all.”

“You’re right,” Ben replied, leaning over to take another slice of pizza from the box.

It wasn’t much, but Ben felt a lot better than he had that morning. Finn, and now Rey were reassuring him that his flatmate wasn’t quite as tyrannical as he’d first thought, and the apology of the replaced controller hinted at some kind of reconciliation. They had a rocky start, but maybe now he and Hux could move past it and be friends.

 

****

 

The last thing Hux had really wanted to do with his Saturday was to spend it hungover and up to his elbows in national debt; but when you were one of the government’s best junior economists, you did what you had to. Besides, at least he was getting paid overtime.

He didn’t know what he’d find when he got back to the flat that afternoon – half of him was expecting to find all of Ben’s stuff moved out and Hux wouldn’t exactly have blamed him. Hux hated himself for losing his control, knowing how angry his father would be with him if he found out. It wasn’t usual for him to overindulge and he always swore he’d never do it again. He always did.

Hux heard familiar laughter coming from his flat as he opened the door and he knew before he even walked into the living room that he’d find Rey there. The girl was something of a squatter but nobody seemed to mind all that much. Rey slept on couches and ate the food in your fridge but she was a genius with anything mechanical and electrical; repairing washing machines and rewiring cables. The way Hux saw it; they had a goods-for-services arrangement which worked nicely for everyone in the building.

She was sitting cross-legged on the teal couch with a lapful of dumpy corgi. Beside her sat Ben, thankfully fully clothed this time and with one controller in his hands; Rey held the other. Both looked up from their game as Hux appeared in the doorway. The silence that lingered for a few seconds was awkward until Ben gave him an encouraging smile.

“There’s pizza if you’re hungry, and beer in the fridge.”

“Thanks,” Hux replied simply, nodding as he passed them on the couch.

The fact that BB-8 was on his couch caused Hux a slight pang of anxiety, but given the circumstances he thought it might be best not to mention it. Besides, he was mostly lying on Rey so whatever hair that might have been shed would most likely be contained to Rey’s clothing. Minutes later, Hux was collapsed in his armchair with a bottle of ice cold beer and a slice of pepperoni pizza in hand, ignoring the fact that nobody had been eating from plates.

“Tough day?” Rey asked; gently.

“No worse than usual,” Hux murmured, taking a small sip of beer.

It wasn’t normally a thing that Hux liked to drink – generally too bitter and gassy, but he was still fighting off the cloudy head from two bottles of merlot and thirsty. He’d only have the one, but it would appease his new flatmate who had offered it. Hux knew enough about social construct to accept peace offerings.

“Rey has been keeping me company,” Ben said; cheerfully. “She is exceptionally good at Halo.”

“That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest,” replied Hux, giving the young girl a small smile.

“My thumbs are getting sore though,” said Rey. “Maybe you’d like a go, Hux?”

She waved the controller at him and Hux glanced at Ben, who in turn, looked at Rey. It was evident that Ben was unsure about it and honestly, Hux couldn’t blame him. They’d had the worst first week that any new flatmates could have and he doubted that a new controller and apology pizza would make up for it right away.

“I’ve not really had much experience with games consoles,” he said simply.

It was the truth – he’d played a few games with Finn in the past, but Hux preferred chess. The only problem was finding somebody who’d take him on.

Ben looked at him and shrugged.

“Oh well,” he said; lightly. “It’s probably best you don’t play against me. I wouldn’t want to humiliate you by beating your ass.”

Hux’s green eyes narrowed and his head tilted to the side as he looked over Ben’s disarming smile; his competitive nature fully aroused. Slowly, he extended his hand for Rey’s controller.

“I’m willing to take up the challenge,” Hux replied.

Ben smirked – it was a look Hux had seen so many times on so many different people; the look of somebody who was overconfident in their own skills and underestimating their opponent. It reminded him of being back in the cadets, once everyone else had grown up and put on some muscle and looked at tall wiry Hux like he was an easy target. He’d always proved them wrong.

Ten minutes later and the smirk had been thoroughly wiped from Ben’s face as Hux emerged triumphant from their battle; Rey’s sides almost splitting from laughter.

“How?” Ben asked him; confused. “You said you hadn’t played a lot.”

“Do you think I need to know the ins and outs of a games console to beat you?” Hux replied, barely containing his smirk.

“But how? I don’t understand!”

Next to Ben, Rey wiped tears of laughter from her eyes and scratched BB-8 behind the ears.

“Ben? Did you fail to notice the chess board when you moved in?” she said.

Dark eyes moved to the beautiful chess set on the table next to Hux’s arm chair, but he still didn’t understand.

“I don’t need to be an expert in your video game,” Hux replied. “I just have to observe your strategy and work out my own around it. You’ll find it’s very easy to beat people that way.”

Ben’s jaw dropped as he stared at a smug Hux, his expression going from disbelief to surprise to amazement. Finally, another expression crossed Ben’s face as he sat up straighter and grinned.

“Go again?”

Hux grinned.

“You’re on.”

 

****

 

Phasma’s stance was wide; feet planted firmly on the ground and making her completely immovable to all of Hux’s punches at the large boxing pads she held up. Hux hadn’t spoken to her since he’d fought with Ben two nights earlier, but he knew he’d never be able to avoid the topic of conversation for very long. Phasma knew Hux better than anyone, and he knew she’d already be able to tell that his punches were lacking the frustration and anger of earlier in the week.

“How’s the flatmate situation going?” she asked; casually.

Hux made a small noise in the back of his throat.

“It’s okay,” he replied. “I think we’ve reconciled.”

“Really?” said Phasma; surprised. “That’s good.”

“Hmm...”

Hux threw a few more punches in quick succession and then dropped his stance.

“I said a lot of things to him the other night that I probably shouldn’t have,” Hux admitted; a guilty look passing over his flushed face.

Phasma nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I sort of heard the entire thing through the walls.”

Hux grimaced.

“I apologise,” he said. “It didn’t really go the way I’d planned it in my head. Next time, don’t let me have the second bottle of wine.”

“Next time?”

“Well, hopefully there won’t be a next time,” Hux replied.

He and Ben still needed to talk about their living situation of course – it wouldn’t all be miraculously better just because they’d played a video game together in relative amicability. Hux still had issues with Ben’s mess and the fact that he kept moving things around from their original places, but at least now it seemed that they could move forward.

Hux rolled his shoulders and dropped into his fighting stance again, jabbing at the boxing pads with his right hand, then his left. He carried on like that for a few moments before he noticed something had caught Phasma’s attention over Hux’s shoulder and he dropped his fists, turning to look. Ben was at the training mats with Rey, standing behind her and showing her the correct grip on a practice sabre with his hands over hers. He found himself mesmerised with the scene, the way that Ben expertly adjusted Rey’s stance and got her to drop her shoulders; his brow creased seriously until he was satisfied with the result.

“I didn’t know that your new flatmate practiced Djem So,” Phasma mused, her voice sounding very far away.

Hux shook himself and turned his attention back to the boxing pads.

“I’m sure I told you,” he replied.

“I don’t recall,” murmured Phasma. “I need to introduce myself at some point, especially if he’d thinking of teaching Rey.”

Hux nodded and took up his stance again, all too aware of the sound of wooden practice sabres clashing behind him and Phasma’s attention still focussed on Ben.

“He’s actually quite good.”

Sighing, Hux turned again and immediately regretted it.

Ben Solo was more than good. Now shirtless and in loose black training pants, Ben was demonstrating a basic strike to Rey; the muscles in his biceps and shoulders rippling as he swung the sabre up over his head. Flashbacks of Ben in a towel, standing toe to toe and glaring at him came unbidden to Hux’s mind – very distracting when one was trying to box.

“Is everything alright?” Phasma asked innocently.

Hux turned quickly around, hiding his flushed cheeks behind his fists.

“Fine.”

“Are you sure? You seem a bit distracted...”

“I just want to get on with this,” Hux replied; stiffly.

Phasma nodded.

“You look a bit hot, actually. You might want to take your shirt off.”

Hux was hot; far hotter than he should be given the circumstances, but his t-short was staying firmly on. Swiftly, he dropped back into his stance.

“Try driving from the hip when you jab,” Phasma suggested, coolly. “It’ll give more power to your punch.”

Hux nodded and attacked the boxing pads with a renewed vigour, trying to banish all remaining visions of Ben Solo’s incredibly toned body from his mind. He was going to have to work through this one.

 

****

 

Ben found himself dragged to the training hall by his new best friend Rey quite early the next morning; the girl was intent of Ben teaching her the basics of Djem So. He was still in a state of confusion about his new flatmate as he and Rey walked down the road with a couple of practice sabres in their protective bags, Rey practically bouncing with excitement next to him.

He supposed he and Hux were on speaking terms now. The previous evening had been spent with Ben desperately trying to beat Hux at Halo; his flatmate being surprisingly good and sending Ben into a mild panic with every game he lost. In the end, it had all been friendly competition with Ben, Hux, and Rey all taking turns to play against each other and it had been the first time Ben had seen his flatmate smile.

The change to Hux’s face when he smiled was quite dramatic – he changed from being this sharp-featured ice sculpture into...well, Ben couldn’t quite describe it, but it was nice. They hadn’t verbally apologised to each other but that was okay – Hux had replaced Ben’s smashed controller and consumed Ben’s offerings of pizza and beer, so as far as he was concerned, they were good. Despite being royally beaten at a game he was actually pretty decent at, Ben’s night had been excellent.

Hux was there in the gym when Ben arrived with Rey, boxing in the corner with a tall, blonde, muscular woman.

“I’m guessing that’s Phasma,” Ben said to Rey as they took the practice sabres from their wrappings and made their way to the mats.

“Yup, she runs the place.”

“I didn’t know Hux boxed,” he mused, eyes fixed on Hux’s back.

He’d only seen Hux in work suits so far, plus the smart trousers and sweater combination he’d worn on their initial meeting so it came as something of a surprise to find that the redhead actually had a pretty decent physique under all those clothes. He was definitely slim, but not skinny as Ben had originally supposed – even from this distance he could see the definition in Hux’s arms when his fists made contact with the boxing pads.

“At least three times a week,” Rey confirmed. “Sometimes four. Now, are you going to stare at your flatmate all day or are you going to teach me some Djem So?”

She was smirking when Ben turned back to her and rolled his eyes, grinning.

“I wasn’t staring.”

“Uh huh,” murmured Rey.

Picking up a sabre, Ben handed it to Rey and moved to stand behind her.

“Okay, the first thing you need to do is make sure you have a solid stance. A sabre is actually a lot heavier than you first think and you have to account for the blade length.”

He adjusted her grip on the hilt, used his foot to nudge Rey’s out a little so that her stance widened, and placed his hands gently on her shoulders, pushing them down slightly so that they weren’t tensed.

“That’s good,” he said, satisfied. “Now, I’m gonna show you a couple of basic strikes...”

Ben spent a good few minutes running through some attack moves with Rey before getting her to try them on him. She was pretty good for a beginner; the way she moved betraying her previous martial arts training and a natural ability to pick things up fast. Everything was going pretty well until Ben turned on the training mats, his eyes falling on Hux’s back again. He should absolutely have been concentrating on parrying Rey’s strike, but Hux had moved slightly; no longer standing slightly side on. The changed angle gave Ben a better view of Hux’s left side, of the way his hips snapped when he jabbed at the boxing pads and the way his ass looked in those boxing shorts.

Ben forgot to block, and Rey’s sabre came crashing down on his shoulder.

“OW! HOLY FUCK, OW!”

“Sorry!” Rey replied, grimacing.

“No, my fault,” Ben replied through gritted teeth.

She had caught him with the flat of the blade on the fleshy part of his shoulder, but the blow had been hard enough to send pain throbbing right through his muscle.

“What happened?” asked Rey as she set her practice sabre down and came to assist.

“Ass...”

“Sorry, what?”

Ben bit his lip and shook his head.

“Nothing. I just...my concentration slipped for a second.”

He blamed himself entirely for being distracted by his flatmate’s spectacular behind. It was just one more in a long list of surprises for him, really – first, Hux’s smile; then his long, wiry figure. He shook his head again and gave a concerned Rey a wry smile.

“Sorry. You did really well – except the jabbing thing. You’re holding a sabre not a staff; you have to resist the urge to lunge.”

Rey shrugged.

“Force of habit. Do you want to continue, or did I damage you too much?”

“It’s nothing a hot bath can’t fix,” replied Ben. “Maybe we can pick this up again another time?”

Ben was glad that Rey didn’t seem too disappointed as they packed the practice sabres away again and prepared to leave. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that his flatmate was still boxing. No wonder the guy was so tiny, Ben thought. With all that exercise four times a week, he was surprised there was anything left of Hux at all.

 

****

 

The apartment’s bathroom was luxurious but minimalistic - a long narrow bath with a wide showerhead protruding from the wall; three glass shelves above a deep sink; sand brown tiles covering the lower half of the walls. Clinical, but comfortable.

Ben had shed his t-shirt and kicked his turned-up sweatpants in the corner by the slightly open door, and was now sat in a bath that could actually accommodate his long limbs with room to spare. The steam from the water hung in the air as he slid under and soaked his hair, running a hand through the mess of curls as he reached for a bottle on the bath side.

Hux seemed to have enough stock of supplies to last quite a while – there was even a bottle of Ben’s brand of shampoo on the second glass shelf, along with Ben’s toothbrush and razor.

Ben slid down until his throbbing shoulder was immersed in the hot water and sighed, giving himself a time limit - the bath was nice, but given the chance he would never get out of it. Hux would not be happy with that at all. Hux who had looked pretty damn fine in gym clothes with his red hair falling loose and into his eyes; Hux with those long legs and long body; those wiry, muscular arms throwing punches that could easily knock a grown man out.

Sighing again, Ben pushed his wet hair back with both hands and began to wash quickly. Evidently Ben needed to get out more if he was starting to think more about his flatmate’s ass than was appropriate. He’d known the guy a week and hadn’t really even liked him until the previous evening when Hux had begun to loosen up a little and smile.

He had just put the looffah down when he heard the distinct sound of nails on wood, followed by a black nose, brown eyes, and two huge orange ears as a panting corgi materialised from around the door.

“Hello,” Ben said, confused. “How the hell did you get here?”

Ben was pretty sure he’d shut the front door behind him and the corgi’s legs were too short from him to reach up and manipulate the door handle. He didn’t get more than a few seconds to contemplate how BB-8 had managed to enter the apartment before the round dog bounded towards the bath, wiggled its way over the lip and into the water with a splash.

With a yell of surprise, Ben stood quickly, causing bath water to slosh over the sides and onto the floor as he grabbed the corgi by its belly and heaved him onto the bath mat. Tail wagging fast, BB-8 barked and shook himself, sending water droplets flying everywhere and leaving his orange and white coat standing up on end.

“What the fuck, you little shit?” Ben asked, still standing naked and dripping wet in the bath.

The corgi tilted his head to the side, looking at Ben with big brown eyes before turning and making a dash for the door, trailing water in his wake.

“Shit...” Ben muttered.

Ben staggered out the bath; water soaking the mat as he quickly grabbed his towel and secured it loosely round his waist before following the dog. Hux would freak the hell out if he came home to find a soggy corgi messing up the flat – Ben had to catch him fast.

 

****

 

Hux had showered and changed at the training hall before eating a quick lunch at Phasma’s. He’d presumed that Ben would still be with Rey, so he was more than surprised to return home to find his flatmate wet, wrapped only in a towel, and alone but for the sopping wet corgi that was bounding around the living room just out of Ben’s reach.

“What...the actual fuck...?”

“CATCH THAT DOG!” Ben yelled in response.

Hux didn’t even hesitate, leaping forward in an attempt to grab the rotund corgi. For a dog that was so round and short, BB-8 was surprisingly difficult to get hold of. He also obviously though the entire situation was hilarious as he dashed between Hux’s legs, swerved around Ben, and jumped up onto the teal couch where he proceeded to shake himself. Ben and Hux pounced for the dog at the same time, both wrapping their arms around the round, furry belly and pulling BB-8 away from the furnishings and onto the floor.

“Hang onto him and I’ll get a towel,” Hux instructed, dashing through to the bathroom and pulling the largest bath towel he could find.

When he re-emerged, BB-8 was wiggling happily in Ben’s towelled lap, rubbing his wet furry face under Ben’s chin. Hux’s flatmate looked so incredibly unimpressed with the situation.

“What happened?” he asked, sitting down next to Ben on the floor and draping the bath towel over the corgi’s back.

Ben grimaced.

“I knocked my shoulder during training earlier. I went to take a bath and this little shit appeared and jumped in with me.”

Hux looked up from BB-8 who was still lovingly rubbing his black nose against Ben’s chin and felt his composure crack. It started as a single huff in his chest, but within seconds Hux was laughing fully because Ben looked utterly outraged at the corgi’s cheek.

Ben stared at him, open-mouthed for a second before a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and soon, he was laughing just as hard.

“How did he even get in the flat?” Hux gasped.

“I don’t know!” Ben laughed. “I was just lying there and suddenly there’s a dog wiggling its way into my bath!”

Hux’s sides started to ache and he collapsed back against the living room wall for support. He could just imagine the scene – Ben having a peaceful bath and the shock of a fat corgi dive-bombing into the water; of Ben having to grab a towel and chase BB-8 around the flat with his lightly-curled black hair falling wet into his face...

Hux stole a glance at his underdressed flatmate, who was grinning as he towelled off the orange dog in his lap; water still dripping from the ends of his hair and onto his shoulders.

Ben Solo was a walking contradiction - like this, he was sweet to the point of being utterly charming, yet Hux knew first hand of Ben’s temper. Aesthetically, he was another thing altogether: Ben’s doe eyes were large and such a deep, dark brown that they appeared almost fathomless; his lips, full and smooth and a little too wide for his face; his nose was over-long; ears too large for such an oval face. His face didn’t really work well as a collective but individually, Hux could see the beauty in all of Ben’s features even if the overall effect made him look childlike and almost innocent.

His body was a stark contrast to his face - undoubtedly adult with legs that went on for miles; broad, defined shoulders; and toned abdominals that would be the envy of many. If circumstances had been different, Hux probably wouldn’t have been averse to using Ben Solo as a trampoline; however, inviting your flatmate of just over a week to fuck your brains out was probably contrary to a good stable living arrangement.

Sighing, Hux reached over and helped with drying off BB-8’s body so that it would take his mind off of Ben’s.

“I should probably take him back upstairs,” he murmured as he gave the corgi’s ears a gentle scratch.

“Probably a good idea,” Ben agreed with a grin. “Give the little trouble maker back to Poe.”

The corgi’s ears pricked up at the mention of his master’s name and his tail hammered harder against Hux’s leg. Hux smiled and shook his head.

“I have no idea how I’m going to get the smell of wet dog out of my couch, though.”

Ben shrugged and scrambled to his feet, trying to keep the towel secure around his waist.

“If you want, I can call my parents after I get dressed and ask for advice? They have an Irish Wolfhound so they’re experts at dealing with wet dog smell.”

Scooping up the now-slightly damp dog, Hux smiled at his flatmate.

“That would be incredibly helpful. Thank you, Ben.”

“My pleasure,” he replied with a boyish, lopsided grin.

They looked at each other for a moment before Hux ducked his head and turned, determined not to watch Ben’s mostly naked body retreat into his bedroom. BB-8 huffed softly in Hux’s arms and gave his cheek a supportive lick.

“Oh, shut up,” Hux murmured to the dog.

The last thing Hux needed in this case was encouragement.

 

****

 

Rey sat cross-legged on the Damerons’ living room floor, a screwdriver in her hand as she fixed their television set while Poe sat on the couch with a strangely clean corgi lying across his lap.

“I was seriously impressed by it,” Rey said. “I don’t think Ben knew what to say! He definitely wasn’t expecting Hux to be anywhere near as good as he was.”

Poe grinned at her.

“Did you not think to warn him?”

“That would have just spoiled all my fun,” replied Rey with a smirk. “Besides, he’d been losing to me all afternoon at Halo; it was hilarious to watch his face fall like that.”

“You’re truly cruel, you know that,” said Poe, smiling.

Rey laughed gently and slid the back off the TV, leaning in to study the wiring as Finn emerged from the kitchen carrying three bottles of beer.

“So, they’re actually getting on now?”

“Getting on?” Poe repeated, frowning.

Finn handed him a beer and nodded.

“Yeah, I bumped into Ben earlier in the week and he said Hux was giving him the cold shoulder. He seemed a little upset about it.”

“Oh, they had a huge fight,” Rey confirmed as she accepted a beer from Finn. “Hux got drunk and was mean, and Ben threw a controller at his head.”

“No!” Poe breathed, horrified.

Rey nodded.

“It’s true – Ben told me.”

“But they’ve made up, right?” asked Finn. “They apologised.”

“Not in so many words, I think,” replied Rey. “But Hux did buy a new controller and they seemed to be getting along fine by the time I left last night.”

“Well, that’s a relief then,” Poe murmured, reaching up to catch the back of Finn’s t-shirt and tugging his husband down on to the couch beside him.

Rey took a small sip of her beer and grinned.

“I think they quite fancy each other, actually.”

Finn and Poe both sat up straight, two pairs of brown eyes growing wide.

“WHAT?”

Grinning, Rey related the morning’s events at the gym and her subsequent conversation with Phasma. She told them about Ben being so distracted by Hux’s posterior that she’d cracked him with a practice sabre; and that Hux had apparently come over all flustered when Ben took off his shirt.

Poe looked like Christmas had arrived early.

“That’s fantastic,” he enthused.

Finn looked at his husband sceptically.

“They’ve been living together for a week, Poe. Don’t get your hopes up.”

Poe shrugged.

“I’m not! I just think it’s kinda sweet if they do like each other. Hux could do with somebody...he’s not really dated anybody since we met him.”

With her head inside a TV, Rey scoffed.

“Hux is so far in the closet, he’s practically in Narnia.”

Finn, who had been in the process of taking a rather large sip of his drink, proceeded to spit beer all over the floor as Poe began to laugh.

“It’s not his fault, really,” Poe replied. “You’d probably have issues too if your father was Brendol Hux.”

Mopping beer from his nose and chin, Finn nodded in agreement.

“Does his dad not know Hux is gay?” Rey asked.

“Sweetheart, I don’t think his father knows Hux is human.”

“I certainly can’t see Hux taking a boyfriend along to dinner,” confirmed Finn.

Frowning, Rey reconnected the loose wire in the back of the TV and replaced the back. Not that it was any of her business, but it would be nice to see her friends happy. Maybe it was something to keep an eye on?


	3. Chapter 3

Six A.M was not a time that Ben Solo often saw, at least not voluntarily. Groaning loudly, he reached out from his burrito of covers and fumbled around on the bedside unit in order to stop the incessant beeping of his phone alarm. He lay there for a few more seconds, phone still in hand and struggling not to close his eyes and go back to sleep as he listened to the sounds of his flatmate getting ready for work.

Ben was starting to like him, he thought. They had spent the rest of Sunday afternoon mixing together Ben’s mother’s magic formula for getting rid of wet dog smell and spritzed it all over the furnishings. They hadn’t talked much – Ben thought Hux was probably just quiet; the type who didn’t really say much unless it was required and Ben was okay with that. If Hux wasn’t exactly chatty, at least he was warming up.

Rolling onto his back and wresting his arms free of the covers, Ben ran his hands through his hair and sighed as he recalled sitting on the living room floor with Hux while they dried off the Damerons’ wayward corgi. Ben had been floored to see Hux laugh – it had made his green eyes crinkle at the corners and his shoulders shake; his whole face light up and transform into something that Ben hadn’t been able to tear his eyes from. It was possibly a rare insight into what his flatmate could be like without the giant stick up his ass.

Still half asleep, Ben threw back his covers and got out of bed, tying his hair back haphazardly as he pottered through the flat to the kitchen in t-shirt and sleeping shorts to the source of the morning’s noise. Hux was standing at the worktop, buttering toast and boiling the kettle. He looked up as Ben appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“Oh,” Hux murmured, eyebrows raised in surprise. “Good morning.”

“Mornin’...” Ben managed; voice still raspy with sleep.

Hux looked as immaculate as always, despite the early hour of the morning; dressed in a suit of light grey with shirt and tie, and his strawberry-blond hair professionally slicked back from his face. Ben didn’t like Hux’s hair like that – he’d preferred the way Hux styled it over the weekend; less product and more life to it.

“Early start?” Hux asked simply, turning back to his toast.

“Yeah...”

Hux nodded, unperturbed by Ben’s lack of communication skills in the morning. His brain still hadn’t kicked into gear just yet and he found himself mostly just standing by the sink, not quite watching Hux as he executed his morning ritual efficiently.

Ben’s flatmate somehow had an amazing ability to multitask at six in the morning; standing at the counter top with toast in one hand, flipping the pages of the Financial Times between sips of tea. Ben was mesmerised by it; by the way Hux stood straight, head bent over his newspaper as he casually ate his breakfast while largely ignoring Ben’s zombirific presence. There was a strip of skin that appeared when Hux did that – pale and bare and smooth, peeping out just above the white collar of Hux’s shirt; strawberry blonde hair curling gently at the ends near his hairline. He was fascinated by it; so obscenely innocent. Ben wondered if it would be just as smooth as it looked if he just reached out and touched it with his fingertips...

“I’ll see you later, yes?”

Ben blinked as Hux turned and looked at him with cool green eyes. The toast and tea were gone; consumed while Ben had been staring. Just how long had he been standing there, gawping at the back of Hux’s neck?

“Yeah,” Ben replied; dazed. “See you...”

He blinked as Hux moved past him and out of the kitchen, casting a brief glance back over his shoulder. A moment later, the front door closed and Ben was alone in the flat; running his hands over his face as he let out a low groan of despair. He didn’t know what the hell was the matter with him; standing there like a total loser staring at his flatmate like an idiot. Ben put it down to general sexual frustration and the fact that he was still half asleep, because this could not be normal behaviour.

Slowly, he turned to the kitchen counter and paused as his eyes fell upon a clean plate with a fresh slice of toast sitting upon it, already buttered and neatly cut in half with a clean cup sitting next to it. Hux had definitely eaten his own toast, washed the plate and set it to dry so this toast was not left over. This toast was for Ben – made specifically for him.

A warm glow ignited in Ben’s chest, small and gentle as he realised that his flatmate had gone out of his way to make the Ben-Zombie some breakfast as Ben was clearly unable to function properly at that time. Smiling, Ben picked up the toast and took a bite; the warm, crisp bread and soft, rich butter bringing him back to his senses somewhat. He’d have to find a way to return the kindness after his meeting with Snoke had ended.

 

****

 

The last thing Hux expected to see when he got home was a small box with his name scrawled on it. It was getting dark by the time he reached home – Hux loved his job and all the potential he had for bettering himself and climbing the ladder, but it did sometimes leave him exhausted and with very little time to himself before going to bed. He’d placed his jacket and briefcase in the hallways and made a bee-line for the kitchen, still deliberating on whether to pour a glass of wine or to make a cup of tea when he spotted the small neat white box on the dark marble counter top. Eyes narrowing slightly as he read his name, Hux carefully opened the lid to reveal a small, perfect cupcake.

It wasn’t a cupcake that had been bought at the local grocery store. No, this was a bakery cupcake; and not just a bakery cupcake, but a specialised bakery cupcake. Hux knew immediately that it was chocolate – the smell of warm chocolately baked goods hit him the second he’d opened the box, but there was also a scent of cherry along with it. His guess would have been black forest cake – a dark chocolate sponge filled with buttercream and black cherry jam; chocolate frosting and flakes on the top, finished with a fat black cherry. Hux smiled to himself as he realised the cupcake must have been left by his flatmate, possibly in return for the toast Hux had left him that morning.

It had been evident that Ben was not a morning person, or at the very least, not an _early_ morning person. Ben had stood in the kitchen, staring into space and barely able to string two words together, and Hux had felt an unusual pang of sympathy for Ben’s situation. He’d made extra toast almost without thinking, but it was endearing that Ben had thought so much of the gesture as to repay him.

Smiling again, Hux poured himself a large glass of merlot and carried it along with his cupcake into the living room. Ben had obviously been home since his early morning meeting as there were papers scattered all over the coffee table. Hux sighed, placing his glass on a coaster before gathering all the papers together, paying attention to the page numbers at the bottom so he could put them in order. A few words caught his eye here and there – mostly names, dates, and places that he recognised from his war history lessons in the Cadets and before Hux knew it, he was sitting in his armchair and reading through Ben’s paper curiously; wine and cake forgotten.

He was almost at the end of it when Ben disturbed him, coming back from the training hall with his practice saber slung over his shoulder in its protective cover; hair damp with sweat; expression unreadable.

“Is that...my paper?” he asked as Hux bit his lip, guiltily.

“Yes,” Hux confessed. “I went to move it out of the way of the wine and a few things caught my eye. I hope you don’t mind – it’s rather good.”

The saber slipped from Ben’s shoulder as dark eyebrows rose in surprise.

“You really think so?”

“Yes,” Hux replied. “This battle was one that we studied in the Cadets; although your paper does seem heavily biased towards Skywalker with not much focus on General Kenobi as the mission leader, or of Count Dooku’s forces. Was there any particular reason for that?”

Ben’s eyebrows seemed as though they were about to disappear into his hair as he sat down heavily and dropped his practice sabre at his feet.

“Anakin Skywalker was my grandfather,” he said simply.

It was Hux’s turn to be surprised.

His father, Commandant Brendol Hux had been in charge of the Military Cadets since before his son’s birth and had been famous – or more like infamous – for producing young tactical geniuses with strength and endurance that were off the charts and prime candidates for high military positions. Hux had been groomed from birth to be a military officer; letting his father down only in his physical strength, but that had been enough. Before then, the Cadets had studied old battles through the centuries; learning the tactics and strategies of past battle commanders so they could analyse and learn from the mistakes and become better than their predecessors.

Anakin Skywalker had only been a young Lieutenant during his first battle with Count Dooku; taking on the powerful commander without the assistance of his mentor, General Kenobi. He’d lost a hand in that battle for his ignorance and enthusiasm, but Hux could see why Ben would idolise the man – Skywalker had been charismatic, but the most interesting thing about him was that he’d switched sides twice.

“That’s fascinating,” Hux murmured, his eyes scanning the page in his hand again. “Are you getting your information from the public records?”

Ben nodded.

“Mostly. My thesis advisor has a couple of military contacts that he uses to get my limited access to Military files, but a lot of it is classified.”

Hux nodded. Luckily for Ben, he had a lot of notes on these wars that were made from those restricted military files.”

“I might have some things left over from my days with the Cadets,” he mused. “I can dig them out of you think they’ll help. They probably contain some information you can’t find in public record.”

A slow smile spread over Ben’s face and Hux tried hard not to notice the tiny spark of warmth in his own chest.

“I...can’t tell you how grateful I’d be,” Ben replied. “My thesis advisor asked me to elaborate on a few things and I feel like I’ve exhausted everything I’ve got on this particular battle.”

Hux nodded and stood.

“Why don’t you get a shower and perhaps order us some dinner while I search through some of my old files. I’ll see what I can dredge up.”

“Thank you,” Ben said, grinning at him from the couch.

“It’s not a trouble,” replied Hux as he made his way to his bedroom.

It really wasn’t a trouble at all. After their rocky beginnings, it seemed like Hux and Ben finally had some solid common ground from which to build on. With Hux’s meticulous filing system, he’d be able to find what he needed within about ten minutes. He didn't even mind running through it all with his flatmate for the rest of the night.

 

****

 

Ben was beginning to really enjoy his early afternoon gaming sessions with Rey. She was like a little sister already, always happy to just sit and chat over takeout food and play video games. Rey was an excellent opponent – whereas Hux had seemed to anticipate his every move, Rey worked on skill and lost as many games as she won which was enough to keep everything interesting for them both.

Rey was simple in the fact that Ben could figure out where she was coming from and his feelings towards her were decidedly uncomplicated. She was easy to be around, as were the Damerons upstairs with their gentle, sweet natures and their cheeky corgi. Hux on the other hand, was much more complex than any of Ben’s new neighbours.

He shouldn’t really have been spending so much time thinking about his flatmate, at least not in this sense. Ben couldn’t really deny that Hux was attractive – tall; willowy; those piercing green eyes and cheekbones that could cut glass. It might have been just an observation if Ben hadn’t seen Hux smile; and worse, seen him laugh. The redhead had surprised him the other day; sitting on the living room floor, drying off BB-8 and laughing at the corgi’s cheekiness and the fact that Ben had been running around in a towel trying to catch the dog. Hux’s nose and eyes had crinkled, his head thrown back as he laughed and Ben had suddenly felt very confused.

He didn’t know how he felt about his flatmate and Hux’s baffling hot/cold mannerisms – one moment being cool and standoffish and the next moment, laughing at corgi shenanigans and taking an interest in Ben’s thesis.

Rey had known him longer than Ben had, although Finn and Poe knew him better than Rey did. Ben could have asked Phasma but he still hadn’t actually introduced himself properly to her, and it might have been a bit strange to say hello with the sole purpose of grilling her for information on Hux. Rey was the one with him at this particular time, so Rey’s opinions would have to do.

“What do you think of Hux?” Ben asked her; casually.

His young neighbour was sitting cross-legged next to him on the couch, tongue sticking out as she concentrated hard of shooting a bunch of NPCs on the screen.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Ben shrugged as his player was killed horribly in a hail of virtual bullets.

“Well…do you like him?”

“Yeah, he’s alright,” Rey replied as she continued to shoot. “Bit weird but yeah, he’s fine.”

Ben watched as she played out the last remaining seconds of the game before turning to him with a frown.

“Whyyyyy?”

“Just asking,” replied Ben quickly.

Rey looked at him, her frown deepening as Ben’s face grew hot. He might have replied a little too quickly.

“ _You_  like him!”

“What?”

“You do!” Rey enthused. “You _fancy_  him!”

“Shut up, you skinny brat!” Ben countered, ears turning pink as he concentrated on the screen where nothing was happening.

Rey continued to look at him, grinning like a lunatic until Ben had to turn to look at her again.

“What?”

“Well, I’m just trying to figure out how this possibly happened,” Rey replied. “I mean he sort of looks like a squirrel!”

Ben snorted as the image of a red squirrel in a suit jumped into this mind, and he burst out laughing.

“Thanks Rey. Now when he walks through the door tonight, that’s all I’ll be able to see.”

“You’re such a weirdo,” Rey murmured. “You fancy a squirrel boy.”

“I don’t fancy him,” Ben replied; firmly. “Now shut the fuck up, or I’m not buying you pizza.”

Rey continued to grin as Ben started a new game. He was too unsettled to try and question Rey further – he didn’t know how she’d possibly thought he might like Hux in that way. He didn’t even know how _he_ felt about Hux, so there was no way anyone else could possibly guess at it; but he didn’t fancy Hux at all. At least, he didn’t think so.

 

****

 

Poe Dameron had only popped into the grocery store for a couple of steaks so he could make dinner for his husband who was currently up to his neck in exam revision. Leaving his beloved corgi at home for such a brief trip, Poe was browsing the meat counter for some decent rump when he heard a familiar voice.

“Ben, stop it! They’ll bruise!”

Poe turned and his jaw almost hit the floor at the scene in the fresh vegetable aisle.

A tall, slim redhead in a smart suit was desperately trying not to laugh as a broader man with dark wavy hair and ripped jeans with a vintage army coat badly juggled some small, purple turnips. Ben was laughing – low and musical as Hux looked half scandalised, half amused; casting glances at the store assistant further down the aisle.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re mashing them anyway!” Ben replied, tossing them carelessly into the wire basket Hux was carrying.

“The way you’re throwing them about, they’ll be mashed before we even get home!”

Poe grinned to himself as he turned back to meat counter and asked the butcher for his two largest steaks, keeping one ear tuned to Ben and Hux’s conversation behind him.

“What about runner beans?”

“Ew! No!” Ben replied, sounding disgusted.

“They’re good with turnip,” insisted Hux.

“I’d prefer the sugar-snap peas.”

“Cooked?”

“Why not?”

“Ugh...heathen.”

“Well, how do you eat them?”

“Fresh peas? Straight from the pod like a normal person!”

Poe took his steaks and thanked the butcher as best he could through quiet, suppressed giggles. Last week, Ben and Hux had been arguing and throwing things at each other. Now they were bickering about vegetables in the supermarket like an old married couple.

He didn’t necessarily mean to stalk them, but they were walking ahead of him as he made his way to get some fresh pasta ribbons. He kept a good distance, not drawing any attention to himself and unable to prevent his smile when Hux’s shoulder brushed gently against Ben’s shoulder; the subsequent glance at each other, then glance away again; both faces lightly pink.

Rey had been right – those two were most definitely into each other. They probably didn’t even know it yet, but it was obvious to an outsider like him; the way they stood too close together when they walked side-by-side in the wide aisle; the way they tried not to look at each other when they talked but ended up doing so anyway.

Poe was already hitting speed dial before he’d even left the grocery store, casting a glance over his shoulder to see Hux smirking as he held a boxed cheesecake just out of a pleading Ben’s reach.

“YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT I’VE JUST SEEN!” he practically yelled the second Finn picked up his phone.

“Sweetheart, please don’t yell...”

“Sorry,” Poe apologised quietly. “But you’ll never guess what I’ve just seen!”

“Well, if I’m never going to guess, then you should probably just tell me.”

“Our very own Mr Hux and Mr Solo, acting like an old married couple down at the grocery store,” Poe replied, happily.

“Are you serious?”

“Deadly,” enthused Poe. “They were flirting so very awkwardly, it was like watching two baby giraffes bickering over a mango. Incredibly cute.”

Finn laughed.

“Are you still watching them?”

“No, I’m on my way home now. Five minutes, babe.”

Poe was still grinning when he got back to the building. It was encouraging to see Hux smiling like that; connecting with somebody for once.

 

****

 

“But those changes were the ones _you_  told me to make!”

Ben was trying very hard to keep his temper in check as his thesis advisor leaned back in his chair and looked at him levelly.

“I told you to make some changes,” Snoke replied quietly. “I didn’t specifically tell you to write what you wrote.”

The Professor looked at Ben over steepled fingers. As much as Ben wanted to rage about having his time wasted, he knew deep down that Snoke was right. Earlier that week they’d had an early meeting about Ben’s research essay which Professor Snoke had had glowing praise for. He’d advised Ben to go and make some improvements and tweaks in certain places; do some extra research on some of his more vague points and Ben had gone away and done exactly that. Now Snoke was telling him that his essay was too far away from the original subject point and thus unusable. Ben only had himself to blame; after all, it wasn’t as though Snoke had told him exactly what to write – Ben had decided that for himself.

“I’ll keep this with me,” Snoke said gently, reaching across the desk and pulling Ben’s essay towards him. “The most I can suggest Ben is to start from scratch. You were doing so well; it would be a shame to give up because you made a mistake. I’m sure if you go back to the library now, you can make some good headway with new research.”

Ben wanted to punch a hole in the office wall, but instead he swallowed his anger down. It wouldn’t do to take his frustration out at his professor – Snoke was very wise and knowledgeable, and Ben was privileged to study under his tutelage; he was just so mad at himself for failing when he thought he’d been doing the right thing.

He must have spent hours in the war office, scouring the archives and documents for information that he might have missed until he was exhausted and the public library was closing. He supposed he could have gone to the university library and scoured their archives too, but Ben was definitely tired and home was calling. Perhaps he could get Rey to play a few games of Halo with him. Or maybe Hux?

The flat seemed empty when Ben arrived home; no noise anywhere he tried not to be disappointed. It was later than he’d originally thought and Hux was probably at Phasma’s for dinner. Rey would likely be with Finn and Poe, and Ben knew that he could go and knock on anybody’s door and be invited in and plied with food and drink. Part of him craved the company, but after the day he’d had Ben wasn’t sure he was fit to be with anybody. It might have been best to just order some takeout and hole up in his room with his laptop.

His skin felt dry and clogged with dust from an afternoon spent in the archives and Ben decided that the first thing he needed to do was wash, even if it was just his face. Stripping off his sweater and throwing it across the couch before taking off his t-shirt too, Ben made his way to the bathroom and pushed open the half-closed door. Turning of the cold tap, he leaned over the sink and splashed his skin; relishing in the cold bite of the water as he rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair, feeling instantly more refreshed. Water dripped and ran down his bare skin as Ben straightened and turned to get a fresh towel from the rack. He stopped dead at the two almond-shaped green eyes that were watching him from the bathtub.

Hux was propped up in the bath, a glass of wine in one hand and his other hand tangled in a damp mop of strawberry blond hair as he supported his head. One long leg was draped gracefully over the edge of the tub, and from his place by the sink Ben could clearly see a galaxy of pale brown freckles covering the pale, luminous skin of Hux’s shoulders and chest.

“Long day?” Hux murmured; green eyes watching Ben curiously.

“I...I didn’t think you were home,” Ben stammered.

He was rooted to the spot, unable to stop staring at Hux’s naked body.

“It’s fine,” his flatmate calmly replied. “Easy mistake to make.”

Ben nodded, still staring. Hux was staring back; green eyes watching the water drip from the ends of Ben’s hair and onto his bare skin; rivulets running down his chest towards his stomach. Ben felt hot.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered as he turned on his heel. “I’ll leave you alone.”

He didn’t hear a reply from Hux at all as he fled from the bathroom, forgetting to pick up his t-shirt and sweater from the couch as he passed on his way to the sanctuary of his bedroom where he almost dived through the door and slammed it shut behind him. If Ben had been frustrated about his day before he’d got home, it was nothing to how he felt now. Taking a deep breath, he ran his hands through his damp hair again and sat on the edge of his bed, making a grab for his laptop.

Work would take his mind off it, he was sure. Ben needed to concentrate on starting his new essay – it wouldn’t do to dwell on the fact that his thesis advisor had ripped apart his research earlier that day; and it certainly wouldn’t do Ben any favours to think about the scene he’d walked in on in the bathroom.

His leg was bouncing in agitation; his mind bouncing between his meeting with Snoke, his research, and Hux. Ben had never seen anything more gorgeous in his whole life – those long limbs and Hux languished in the bathtub; that hair, free from the product that restrained it during the week; now wet and long and falling about Hux’s face; those green eyes that seemed to pierce through him. Ben couldn’t deal with that shit. Agitated about his shitty day and his shitty research, and now his hot flatmate; Ben’s leg was bouncing so forcefully that it might have just detached.

Fuck it, Ben thought. He might go to hell and possibly may have to avoid Hux’s eye for a day or so, but he needed this. He was too wound up and Hux had given him perfect spank bank material.

He was past the point of caring as he tossed his laptop aside and fought with the buttons of his jeans; his fingers shaking as much as his leg as Ben rushed to get his pants off, his cock already fully hard. Ben groaned softly as he wrapped his hand around it and kicked his way out of his jeans.

Hux was on the other side of the house, still in the bath – he’d never know this was happening, and if Ben got to loud as he was getting off, then he could always sink his teeth into his fist or his pillow to muffle the sounds he made.

Ben moaned again as his thumb swept softly over the head of his dick, nail digging briefly into the slit. He’d rather be sinking his teeth into something else…scraping them across every freckle on that creamy skin…those freckles under his tongue.

Sinking back onto his bed, Ben let his hand run firmly to the base of his cock, squeezing hard and hissing at the pressure. His other hand, he let roam freely: tugging at his testicles; fingers raking through the coarsely curled hair at his crotch and up across the taut muscles of his stomach. Ben’s fingernails bit into his skin; scraped across one nipple and then the other; fingers trailing up over his own throat and into his hair as he thought about doing the same to Hux’s body. Ben thought about mapping every inch of that pale freckled skin with his hands; with his mouth.

He moaned again as the hand on his cock moved faster, twisting at the head and squeezing at the base. He wondered if Hux would moan like that with Ben’s fingers threaded in his ginger hair; sweat dropping from his hairline and onto his skin. Would Hux moan, or was that stick too far up his ass? Ben could make him moan, he was sure of it...

Ben felt the orgasm building fast, the pressure in his balls tightening and his thighs trembling as he tugged and twisted and squeezed; imagining how those pretty green eyes would look if Hux was the one being brought to orgasm. Closed, with pale eyelashes fanned out over his high cheekbones? No...Ben would make sure Hux saw him; he’d want to see those green eyes dark and hazy; want to watch the flush spread over that pale skin and that full, soft mouth drop open in a cry as he came...

Warmth rushed through Ben suddenly, flooding his stomach and thighs in a numbing heat; coating his fingers in white. He didn’t know if he cried out or not; the sound of his own blood racing through his body deafening him to all other sounds. Ben lay panting and sticky, naked but for his socks as he tried to slow his heart rate. He was definitely going to need a shower now, even if he had to lie for an hour until Hux had vacated the bathroom.

Ben wasn’t sure if he could be around Hux again that evening, not after getting off to the thought of him and having the image of that long, lithe body still firmly imprinted in his brain. Never again, he told himself. That fantasy had been hot as hell, but it wouldn’t be right for Ben to keep doing it when they had to live together; when Hux slept in the next room.

 

****

 

Yet another nightmare week finished at work and Hux had never been so glad to get on the train home. It wasn’t a monstrously long journey and Hux rather enjoyed the train ride; the rhythmic sway of the train carriages as they sped along the tracks; the closeness of the underground tunnels surrounding them; the familiar beep of the doors as they opened and closed at each station. It was almost a wind-down from the busy bustle and chaos of the Finance Offices; something familiar and predicable in his day from which he could draw some comfort.

It was only as he reached his stop and began the walk home from the station that Hux began to think of the person he’d be going home to. This time the week before, Hux had been miserable and wanting anything but to go back to that flat with messy Ben who sat around on the couch in a towel and left his clothes lying around the house; who drew smiley faces on the energy bill and couldn’t cook without using every pan in the house.

Not that Hux was averse to Ben wandering around the flat wearing only a towel. Ben Solo’s body had pretty much been the highlight of Hux’s entire weekend – first, watching him practice Djem So and then seeing him chase BB-8 around the living room whilst wearing only a towel. And then there had been last night...

Hux had been in the bath, languishing in the hot water and winding down from a stressful day, taking advantage of having the flat to himself. Ben had burst in, shirtless and completely unaware of Hux’s presence as he ran the cold tap and washed his face, allowing Hux to watch as the water dipped from his hair and onto those broad shoulders. Hux could quite easily have stood up and dragged Ben into the bath with him at that point; could have sunk his teeth into those muscles and tangled his fingers in that long dark hair but he’d already told himself that fucking his flatmate would be a bad idea. Hux liked to think he had enough control to keep his hands to himself, and so he’d let Ben go; watching him stammer and stumble his way out of the bathroom.

Hux stopped at the small local grocery store again, buying in a couple of bottles of wine and the most decadent chocolate dessert he could find. If Ben was home, Hux would share and if not then there was nobody to judge him for eating an entire dessert to himself.

He could hear Ben’s music as he walked through the door, hanging up his jacket and briefcase in the hallway as he always did and carried the bag of wine through to the kitchen. The lack of Ben in the living room meant that he was in his bedroom, so Hux took a deep breath and ventured to the untidiest part of the house with a bottle in his hand.

Ben’s room was almost enough to give Hux a panic attack – clothes littered the floor and there were text books and photocopies everywhere. Ben sat on the bed, leaning back against the wall with a pen in his mouth and a laptop on his knee; forehead creased as his eyes scanned the paper in his hands.

“Busy?” Hux asked.

Ben jumped slightly as he looked up, a faint blush spreading across his face as the pen dropped from between his lips. They hadn’t seen each other since Ben had walked in on Hux in the bath, so Hux supposed his flatmate was still just a little embarrassed by his mistake. Either way, Ben seemed to recover quickly even if he didn’t quite meet Hux’s eyes.

“Kinda,” Ben replied with a small sigh. “After we talked the other day, I made some changes to my paper that my thesis advisor asked me to make. When I went to give him the changed document yesterday, he told me I’d fucked it up beyond repair and advised me to start again.”

Hux frowned. Ben’s essay had been fascinating and very well written. He couldn’t imagine what Ben could have possibly changed as to make it wildly different and unusable.

“I’m sorry about that,” murmured Hux.

“It’s not your fault,” Ben grumbled. “I’m just pissed off that I have to start all over again.”

“I can imagine,” Hux replied softly. “I’ll tell you what – we’ve both had a week from Hell; I suggest we get drunk and play a game or something.”

Ben looked at him for a few long seconds until Hux was starting to think he’d maybe misjudged the extent of their budding friendship. After a heartbeat, Ben nodded; a smile tugging at his lips.

“I think that’s the best idea I’ve heard for days,” he replied.

Ten minutes later and they were sitting in the living room with a glass of wine each and a bowl full of chocolate dessert; Hux pulling out post-it notes and pens, and Ben laughing at Hux’s idea of a fun game.

They started out with simple ones first – writing the name of a person or a thing and sticking the post-it to the other’s head and the answering questions posed to them. They did Finn and Poe; the former Emperor and Ben’s grandfather, Anakin Skywalker; some cartoon character that Ben had liked as a child and Hux had never heard of in his life; and a bar of chocolate.

Dessert finished and the best part of two bottles of wine gone, Ben was lounging lengthways on the couch while Hux was slouched in his armchair, giggling and with most of his shirt buttons undone. He got incredibly warm when he imbibed alcohol and often didn’t even realise he was unfastening buttons – Poe Dameron had teased him about it before on several occasions.

“Am I....a vegetable?” asked Ben as he ran his hands through his hair.

Ben’s sweater had been lost an hour ago, leaving him in just his sweatpants and a thin t-shirt; a light flush to his skin from the alcohol.

“No,” replied Hux. “My turn. Am I...an animal?”

“Yes!”

“Excellent...do I...live underground?”

“No! Loser! My turn. Am _I_ an animal?”

“No. Me again – do I live above ground?”

“What kind of fucking question is that?” Ben replied, cackling. “If you don’t live under ground, then you have to live above ground!”

“Not necessarily,” Hux murmured. “The sea is technically neither above, nor below ground – it’s a separate entity. Therefore, I would only live above ground if I was a land-dwelling animal and not a sea dweller...”

“Okay, fine. Yes, you live above ground.”

It carried on in this manner for a while – Ben being absolutely no closer to guessing his sticky note read Padme Amidala, while Hux was almost positive his was red squirrel.

“Is my fur russet?”

“What’s russet?”

“Like...reddish orange.”

“Oh, then yes,” replied Ben with a smirk.

Hux was pretty much convinced now. He just wanted one more question to confirm.

“Do I eat nuts?”

Ben snorted.

“I don’t know Hux, but I’d be pretty happy to find out!”

Hux’s jaw dropped as Ben’s head slowly turned to look at him, brown eyes wide. After a second, Ben started giggling.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” he laughed as Hux ripped the sticky note from his forehead and got out of his chair, pitching across the room to Ben on the sofa.

“You rat,” Hux said, starting to laugh as he threw the paper at Ben’s head. “You cheeky...”

“I’m sorry, your face was priceless,” cackled Ben.

Hux leaned over, slapping him playfully about the arms as Ben raised them.

“I’m a squirrel,” Hux told him.

This made Ben laugh even harder for some reason, and Hux found himself climbing onto the couch, sitting across the top of Ben’s thighs as he straddled his laughing roommate and gently grasped Ben’s wrists, pulling his hands away from his face and pinning them to the couch arm behind Ben’s head.

“I win!” Hux said smugly, leaning in so his nose almost touched Ben’s.

Ben looked beautiful at this distance – large doe-eyes looking almost black; full lips slightly parted as his chuckle tailed off; his breath warm on Hux’s face. The air between them was electric, hot and sizzling; breathing each other in; eyes searing into one another as Hux released his grip on Ben’s wrists and their fingers entwined. One heartbeat...two; their breathing becoming fast and shallow.

It was Hux who closed the gap; a hand sliding into Ben’s hair, pulling him forward into a kiss that’s immediately passionate and demanding. Ben groaned softly, his hands sliding underneath Hux’s shirt and over smooth skin; up his back to his shoulders, pulling Hux down to him. It was incredible; the rush of adrenaline and alcohol and pure lust as Hux tangled his fingers into the soft dark curls, his other hand lightly gripping Ben’s neck; thumb running across Ben’s throat as they kissed.

Ben’s nails scraped gently down the bare skin of Hux’s back and he moaned loudly into Ben’s mouth, tongue flickering between Ben’s lips for a second before he broke away and moved on. Hux nipped and sucked harshly, leaving a wet trail of tingling kisses along Ben’s jaw and the side of his neck; rolling his hips experimentally and delighting in the gasp he pulled from Ben’s throat; the way Ben pulled Hux down into him more forcefully.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Ben breathed as his hands ran down the length of Hux’s back towards the waistband of his pants.

Hux froze. Out of all the words for Ben to utter, Hux was not expecting those. He didn’t know why, but it made his blood suddenly turn to ice where seconds before it had been on fire.

He pulled back, staring at Ben who was all messed hair, flushed cheeks, and lust-blown eyes.

“No,” Hux murmured, sitting up and untangling himself from Ben.

“What?”

“No,” Hux repeated, avoiding Ben’s eyes. “This was a mistake. This was a huge mistake.”

“Hux…?”

Ben sounded confused and a little hurt. Hux had to put as much distance between them as possible.

“Forget this ever happened,” Hux muttered, standing up and walking out without looking back.

His skin felt cold without Ben’s hands on him; his back still tingling with the fingernails scratches Ben had left on him. Hux quickened his pace until he reached his bedroom, slamming the door shut and locking it behind him.

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?” he heard Ben shout from the living room, followed by something loudly being thrown against the wall.

Seconds later, Hux heard Ben’s door slam shut which did nothing to muffle the sounds of his subsequent rampage with books hitting the walls and loud crashed as things were knocked to the floor.

Hux squeezed his eyes closed and tried to level his breathing. What had he done?

 


	4. Chapter 4

Ben kicked a bundle of clothes across the room and collapsed against the wall, breathing hard and shaking. His bedroom was trashed – all of his books and photocopies of documents now bent or torn and lying all over the floor; his clothes had been thrown everywhere; laptop balancing at a precarious angle on the bunched-up covers.

Hux had kissed him and it had felt incredible. That red hair was soft under Ben’s hands; that pale, luminous skin so smooth. Then it had all gone wrong and Ben was mystified as to what he’d done wrong. He must have done something wrong otherwise why would Hux have reacted the way he had? Ben still had the taste of Hux in his mouth; could still feel the tingle on his scalp where Hux’s hands had been in his hair; still feel Hux’s teeth scraping across his skin and the feel of Hux’s body pressing down into his. It had all been perfect, and then Hux had pushed him away.

Ben slid down the wall, sinking to the floor in abject misery as he recalled the look on Hux’s face. Had it been horror? Revulsion, perhaps? Did Hux suddenly realise that he’d been kissing the most revolting creature on the planet because that’s how Ben felt right now – like he was disgusting. If Hux had just simply changed his mind then it would have been fair. They had both been drunk; not thinking clearly; caught up in their silly game. Ben could respect Hux backing off because of that; but what he’d experienced was full-on rejection and Ben just couldn’t understand why; how he’d managed to fuck up. It had to be that there was something wrong with him.

He hugged his knees tightly; back against the wall; trying to calm his breathing and push down the overwhelming disgust he felt at himself. He couldn’t hear a single sound coming from Hux’s room, but that wasn’t unusual – the man crept around the flat; treading so softly that the only time you knew he was home was when you heard the kettle boiling. Ben was still trembling; still playing the evening over and over. He shouldn’t be alone when he was like this but he was too afraid to leave his room to go find Rey or the Damerons just in case Hux had left his room. He wouldn’t be able to stand seeing that revulsion in Hux’s eyes again.

Ben slept fitfully, curled up on his bedroom floor with his knees pulled up to his chest; trembling with misery and cold but with no will to get up and climb under the covers. He heard Hux get up hours later – earlier than normal because it wasn’t light enough outside for it to be his usual time. Still, Ben lay on his bedroom floor for several more hours just in case Hux came back. When he was absolutely sure that Hux would have gone to work, Ben dragged himself up from the floor and made his way out of the apartment and up the stairs.

He was cold; his joints aching from spending an entire night in the foetal position on the floor and sending pain shooting through his hips as he took the stairs slowly. He wasn’t sure where Rey would be at this time in the morning, so he took the chance at knocking on the Damerons’ door. Thirty seconds later it was pulled open by a laughing Finn.

"Oh my god, Poe! I can't believe you forgot your keys aga...oh...Ben!"

Finn stopped, realising that it was not his husband at the door. He looked at Ben, taking in his dishevelled state; his brow creasing in concern. Ben knew he must look a mess having barely slept, curled up on his bedroom floor and still wearing his sweatpants and t-shirt from the day before.

"You know I asked you the other week if there was something wrong with me?” Ben asked, his voice sounding small and broken even to his own ears. “Were you just trying to be nice when you said no?"

"What's happened?" Finn asked immediately, reaching out to pull Ben gently inside.

"Is Rey here?"

"She's next door. What happened?"

Ben shook his head, feeling himself start to tremble again.

"I think I fucked up,” he whispered, not meeting Finn’s eye. “I think I really fucked up."

Calmly, Finn ushered Ben towards the couch and sat him down before immediately running to fetch Rey who arrived less than a minute later. She was still in her borrowed pyjamas; bare feet and hair a mess, looking still half asleep. Ben looked at her as she crouched down in front of him, concern in her brown eyes as tears welled up in his.

“I think you need to tell us everything,” Rey said; seriously.

Ben nodded, even if he had no idea where to start. As soon as Finn had given him a fresh cup of coffee and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, Rey deposited a warm BB-8 in his lap; the corgi’s damp black nose snuffling against Ben’s cheek as he allowed himself to be hugged tightly by the sad human.

“Start from the beginning,” Finn told him kindly as he sat on the couch next to. “Whatever this is, Ben, I’m sure we can work this out between the three of us.”

Ben was doubtful, but he relaxed a little as he took a sip of good strong coffee. Finn and Rey were being far nicer to him than he deserved, but he was glad for their kindness; a balm to his soul after the events of the past night. With a deep breath, he looked up and began to tell them about Hux.

 

****

 

Hux was just waiting for Phasma to ask the inevitable question.

He’d woke her up at 5 A.M, jittery and sleep-deprived so that he had somebody to box with; to work out his frustration and seething anger at himself before going to work, so that he could actually focus on economics at this time on a Saturday morning. Phasma, as always, had obliged him without a fuss but it was evident by now that something was weighing heavily on Hux’s mind.

Hux was absolutely furious with himself. He didn’t usually do things like this – give in to moments of weakness; his resolve was better than that. Hux was no blushing virgin; he’d had sex and plenty of it, but there were rules that he always adhered to. First and foremost, Hux had very specific tastes and whoever took on the challenge needed to know exactly what they were getting themselves into and be sure they could handle him. Secondly, they had to know that it would only happen once and never again. That was how Hux avoided attachment – scratch the itch and move on. He had already decided that fucking Ben Solo would be a bad idea and yet, with a bottle of wine sitting warm in his belly, Hux had dropped his guard and all his safety measure had gone out of the window. Reason had given way to madness and he didn't know how he was going to come back from it.

“What’s wrong?” Phasma asked eventually, her voice even.

Hux flinched, even though he’d anticipated it. He knew he could have told her to mind her own business, but the truth was that he’d already betrayed himself so there wasn’t much point in hiding it.

"I kissed Ben," Hux replied through gritted teeth.

He threw an up-strike at the boxing pads; the punch almost knocking Phasma off her feet in surprise.

"You...what? You did what?"

Hux tried not to look at her eyes.

"I kissed Ben," he repeated.

Phasma would never judge him and Hux knew that, even if he was judging himself.

“How did that happen?” she asked.

Phasma had readjusted her stance; feet firmly planted on the mats once again and ready to withstand Hux’s harsh punches to the pads.

“Wine,” he gritted. “I blame the wine.”

“Just the wine?” Phasma pressed. “You just got drunk and decided to kiss your flatmate for no reason other than that? There wasn’t possibly any kind of underlying attraction there?”

Hux punched out a sequence at top speed – left; right; left; left; right. He tried not to think of the times over the last week where he’d seriously considered pushing Ben up against the wall and ravaging him - watching Ben’s muscles ripple during his Djem So practice; Ben sitting on the floor in a towel, drying off a cheeky corgi; Ben staring at him in the bath with water dripping from his hair and rolling down his skin.

Yes, there had been attraction there but the thing that bothered Hux most was that he’d acted upon it instead of letting it die.

"It was stupid," he gritted between punches. "Stupid...reckless...idiot."

Hux had to beat the boxing pads for a good five minutes before he could continue; swinging  a particularly vicious left hook as he remembered Ben lying under him on the couch, all big brown eyes and large, warm hands stroking up Hux's back

"He called me beautiful," he added, bitterly.

Phasma blinked, but said nothing.

Him. Nobody had ever called him beautiful in his entire life; he had always too tall; too skinny; ginger hair that everyone made fun of, Commandant's son be damned. He couldn’t understand what Ben could possibly like in Hux’s sharp features and funny green eyes and his mouth that was too full for such a narrow face. It was disconcerting; Hux couldn’t figure out if Ben had been trying to sweet talk him or make fun of him. Ben needn’t have said a word – Hux had been easy enough the night before to give him anything he’d wanted until Ben had come out with that.

It wasn't meant to mean anything - if they'd only made out; or if it had been rutting and hand jobs on the couch; or even if he'd dragged Ben to his bedroom and rode him to exhaustion, it wasn't supposed to mean anything. Just sex; just another itch to scratch and move on, but now Hux was doubting everything - his own judgement; his own worth. He’d never been enough for anybody before, what with his peculiarities and tendency to distance himself from everyone he met. Hux was difficult and people didn’t like difficult. Ben hadn’t even liked him the week before but then, somehow, he’d wormed himself under Hux’s skin.

It had only been a kiss. Ben was charming but he was still scattered, and Hux was sure he could put a respectable amount of distance between them again. It was best if they just remained flatmates, and if Ben wanted to move on by the time his next rent was due then Hux wouldn’t stop him. It was probably better that way.

 

****

 

Ben spent most of the day on Finn’s sofa with his head in Rey’s lap, watching shitty daytime TV while Finn brought him food and drinks, and Rey stroked her hands soothingly over Ben’s hair. It had helped to be around people, and better still, people who actually liked him. BB-8 was a comforting presence; warm and solid as he curled up next to Ben on the couch and whined softly from time to time, sensing Ben’s distress.

“You need to talk to him, you know,” Rey said after about an hour of silence.

Ben nodded.

“I know. I’m just a little apprehensive about what he’ll say...”

“Hux just...doesn’t do relationships,” explained Finn from the floor. “Phasma said his dad is a cold-hearted, emotionless automaton – I guess it’s hard not to be emotionally repressed if you’re raised with that.”

“It probably just moved ahead too fast and he got scared,” added Rey.

“Are you sure it’s not just because I’m an awful person?” Ben muttered miserably, earning himself a slap on the arm from Rey.

“Now, stop that! You are not a horrible person at all.”

“You like each other,” Finn said gently. “That’s pretty evident. You just need to talk things through and find out what’s bothering Hux about this. You can fix it, I’m positive.”

Ben sighed and nodded. His friends were right again – Ben and Hux had both been drunk, both reacted badly to a simple situation and it was easily fixable. After a rocky start, they had begun to get on so well; finding things in common; laughing with each other; Hux helping Ben with his research. On top of that, it was in the way Hux glanced at him when he thought Ben wasn’t looking; those green eyes seeming almost hungry. There was something there; Ben was sure of it. It just needed to be salvaged.

He spent the afternoon trying to straighten out his room; picking up all the bent and ripped books and papers; setting his laptop down in a less precarious place; folding some of his clothes away. Then he showered and changed, determined not to look like an emotional train wreck who’d spent the night of the floor and the majority of the day on his friends’ couch, hugging a dog. He was pretty much feeling like a regular human being again, sitting in the living room as he worked on his paper when Hux came home from work.

Ben sat up, straightening his shoulders and fixing himself with his most disarming smile as Hux walked into the living room, jacket and briefcase already hung up in the hallway. Hux didn’t even look at him; didn’t even acknowledge Ben’s existence as he walked right past the couch and into the kitchen beyond. Ben felt as though he’d just been slapped in the face; his hard-earned composure slipping as he watched Hux pour himself a sizeable glass of wine. Taking a deep breath, Ben stood up and followed him.

“Are you just going to ignore me?” he asked, trying to keep his voice level and his tone, soft.

“Why not?” Hux replied, quietly. “You can’t possibly want to ‘talk’.”

Ben bit his lip and Hux looked up, his neutral expression taking on an air of displeasure.

“Oh...you do.”

“Yeah,” Ben replied. “Yes, I think we need to talk about what happened last night.”

“Nothing happened last night,” Hux countered, swiftly.

“Yes, it did,” said Ben, firmly. “Last night, you kissed me. No, it was more than that. More than just a kiss – we fully made out on that couch. It was getting heated...”

“So what?” Hux murmured.

He was standing straight; glass perfectly balanced in his hand; hair still meticulously slicked back which made his cheekbones look too sharp. Ben really hated Hux’s hair like that.

“So...”

“We were drunk. It shouldn’t have happened. End of story.”

Ben blinked. This conversation was not going the way he’d planned. Hux wasn’t supposed to say that – he was supposed to say that he was sorry for hurting Ben’s feelings and tell him why he’d run off the way he did. Hux wasn’t supposed to be like this.

“I thought we were...”

“What? Thought we were going to talk about our feelings, kiss and make up, and then fall into bed all romantic? Well, tough luck.”

“Why are you being like this?” Ben growled, suddenly losing all reason to be sweet.

“Like what?” Hux retaliated. “We kissed, I bit your neck, and you scraped your fingernails down my back. You probably would have got some incredibly rough sex out of it if you’d only kept your fat mouth shut, but that would have been it.”

Ben went still, casting his mind back to the night before, on the couch with Hux sucking a mark onto his throat as they rutted against each other. He couldn’t remember saying anything at all; couldn’t recall the words that had made Hux stop and walk away from him so suddenly. His blood ran cold.

“So what are you saying?” he prompted. “That it was just a drunken exploit that meant nothing?”

“Exactly,” Hux replied, his lip curling in a sneer. “I won’t deny that you have a certain amount of sexual appeal, but you would have been nothing more than an itch to scratch. One night of fun and nothing more that.”

Ben was rooted to the spot as Hux brushed past him, glass of wine in hand as he headed to his room and closed the door. He felt numb; cold to the core; rejected so thoroughly and so cruelly by a man he’d believed liked him. Ben could have broken down; could have crawled under the covers and not come out for a week, until Rey or Finn or Poe dragged him out and made him face the world again. He could have done that, and usually he would; but Ben was angry.

Fine. If that’s the way that Hux wanted it, then Ben was happy to play. If Hux didn’t want to acknowledge Ben, then Ben was going to make damn sure he was seen. If Hux was going to be a dick, Ben was going to be worse.

 

****

 

The week was turning into a nightmare. Hux really should have expected it after his harsh put-down of Ben on the Friday night, but he’d desperately underestimated his flatmate.

It had started on Sunday with Ben taking over the living room with his PhD research – files and books and papers everywhere; coffee cups sitting directly on the wood of the coffee table instead of a coaster. Hux had gone to Phasma’s and spent the day reading so that he wouldn’t have to put up with it, but if he’d expected Ben to clear up when he had finished, Hux had been very much mistaken. Then it got worse, with Ben deciding to cook the messiest pasta dish ever invented. There was pasta sauce all over the worktops and splashed up the walls; starchy pasta water left to congeal in the pan and dishes piled up and left unwashed in the sink.

Every time Hux walked into his flat, there was something else that made him want to scream. Pizza boxes and drinks cans started to pile up in the living room; Hux’s chess set had been tampered with, destroying a game that had been played out over months and there were damp patches on his chair where Ben had obviously sat down on it, still wet from the shower.

Hux’s only sanctuary was his bedroom – everything neat; everything ordered. Books sat on the shelves, categorised alphabetically and by genre; clothes were precision-ironed and folded neatly away in the drawers or hung in the closet; his bed was made to precise military standard, a habit he’d been unable to shake even after all these years. Hux walked into his bedroom and his elevated heart rate immediately began to slow; his anxiety beginning to ebb.

Ben had made the entire flat so unliveable that Hux was essentially trapped inside his own bedroom, unable to set foot anywhere else in the house without bordering on an anxiety attack. It was chaotic and overwhelming, and Hux couldn’t stand it. He’d stared seeking refuge at Phasma’s, eating meals with her lest he starved to death for fear of stepping inside his own kitchen that was surely growing mould by now.

“I hate him,” Hux mumbled around a mouthful of Teriyaki salmon and vegetable noodles. “He’s doing this on purpose – just to mess with me.

Phasma looked at him with calm blue eyes as he stabbed his salmon aggressively.

“I agree,” she replied. “Have you tried talking to him?”

“Yes.”

“Have you tried talking to him like a calm, rational human being and not like...you?”

Hux looked up from his plate and scowled.

“I _am_  calm and rational,” he argued.

“No you’re not,” she replied. “Not when things really get to you. Remember the last time you said you’d talk to Ben about his behaviour and you ended up threatening to throw him out?”

Hux grimaced.

As much as he hated to admit it, Phasma had a point. He probably could have handled everything better – trying to get Ben to be tidier; telling Ben they couldn’t have sex with each other. He wasn’t used to things like this happening to him; wasn’t used to dealing with emotions. Emotions were messy and Hux didn’t like mess. It was easier to keep himself closed off; to avoid all entanglements of a non-physical nature.

Phasma sighed and gently set down her fork, reaching over to pick up the wine bottle and top up their glasses.

“What exactly did you say to Ben in order for him to retaliate like this?”

Hux looked at his plate again and took a deep breath.

“I told him that our kiss meant nothing and that he shouldn’t think about it any more.”

“Harsh,” Phasma replied. “And a lie.”

Hux looked up again, sharply.

“What do you mean it was a lie?”

“You wouldn’t have reacted so severely if it had meant nothing,” Phasma retaliated. “He said something sweet to you and you freaked out. It provoked a reaction. It scared you.”

Hux hated it when Phasma could see right through him. She was intelligent and rational – the reason why he’d been drawn to her in the first place, but it also meant that he couldn’t conceal much from her even if he tried.

“He was just trying to butter me up,” Hux murmured.

“Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know,” Hux replied, more forcefully. “But he had to be – just trying to sweet talk his way into my pants, which he didn’t have to do. I would have let him fuck me right there on the sofa.”

Phasma blinked, serenely.

“And you would have done that, despite your rules? Despite the fact that you live together?”

“The rules still stand,” he muttered.

She picked up her wine glass and took a small sip, watching him over the rim.

“Did it ever occur to you that Ben might really think you’re beautiful? That he actually wants you?”

Hux scoffed lightly.

“There’s huge difference between wanting to fuck me, and wanting _me_. Nobody would want _me_ – I’m not ‘nice’, I’m not forthcoming; I don’t like things being moved from their proper places; I get anxious around messes. I can’t even stand it when somebody sits in my chair for Christ’s sake. There is nobody on this planet who would want to put up with me in the long term.”

“That’s your father talking,” Phasma murmured.

Hux stilled, a muscle twitching slightly.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” he said quietly. “I’ll confront Ben tonight, after I leave here; make him stop this petty nonsense.”

They were adults – surely they could settle this in a civilised manner instead of acting like children.

Phasma said nothing else, thankfully dropping the subject as they ate the rest of their meal in comfortable silence. Hux didn’t really want to leave the oasis of Phasma’s flat, but he had to go home and confront Ben.

If he’d thought things couldn’t get any worse, he’d been wrong. Ben had stooped to an all-new level of low – a wet towel was bundled up and left on the couch, seeping into the soft chenille; Hux’s armchair had been moved slightly from its original spot, just enough to irk him but not enough to be significant; and the products on the bathroom shelves had been rearranged with most of Hux’s things either missing or replaced with different brands.

Hux had had enough.

“BEN!”

Hux marched through the flat, opening every door in the hellhole in search of his flatmate before bursting into Ben’s bedroom to find him sitting casually on his bed, blinking at Hux innocently.

“I’m sorry, are you talking to me?” Ben asked. “Only you’ve been ignoring me all week, so it’s hard to tell.”

Hux stood in the doorway, hands clenched in fists at his sides as he blocked out the chaotic surroundings to focus solely on Ben’s face. Hux could happily have punched him.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Hux hissed. “Why are you destroying my flat?”

Ben swung his long legs over the side of the bed and stood, quickly covering the distance to the door and stopping within inches of Hux.

“I’m honestly surprised it took you the whole week to say something. Obviously, you’d rather just ignore my entire existence until shit gets REALLY bad...”

“Is that what this is all about? I’m no longer spending time with you, so you’re acting like a child and ruining my home just to get my attention?”

“No longer spending time with me?” retaliated Ben with a harsh laugh. “Understatement of the fucking year! Ever since Saturday, you haven’t said a word to me or even looked at me!”

“Is it any wonder? I’m not living with an adult, but a petty child!”

“I DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IGNORED!” Ben shouted.

“AND I DO NOT DESERVE TO BE CHASED OUT OF MY OWN HOME JUST BECAUSE YOUR PRECIOUS FEELINGS ARE HURT!”

Hux could feel his blood begin to boil; his composure splintering at a rapid rate and all the anger that was usually so well contained within him now racing to the surface. He wanted to wrap his hands around Ben’s neck and squeeze; wanted to smack the offended expression from the man’s face.

"I loathe you!" Hux hissed.

"I loathe you too!"

"I LOATHED YOU FIRST!"

Their faces were close, chests touching as the snarled at each other; fists clenched and ready to throw punches; a single inch between them in height so that Hux looked directly into brown eyes filled with fire. His blood raced through his veins, ready for a fight; breathing harsh.

He didn’t know who moved first – Ben or himself. They might have moved forward at the same time but it didn’t matter. One moment they were bristling; hackles raised and ready for violence, and the next moment Hux’s fist was bunched up in the front of Ben’s ratty t-shirt; Ben’s fingers forcefully digging into the gelled shell of Hux’s hair, messing it up as they pulled each other forward into the most violent kiss Hux had ever experienced.

It was brutal – teeth clashing painfully; Hux tasting metal as somebody’s lip split and spilled blood into their mouths. Hux hissed as Ben pushed him back against the wall; his back clipping the raised edge of the door frame and sending a sharp pain through Hux’s shoulder. That was going to leave a bruise, and Hux was glad it would.

Twisting his fist, Hux yanked down and forwards, dragging Ben back to him with a satisfactory sound of fabric ripping at the seams.

"Is this what you wanted?" Hux growled with Ben's teeth sunk into his bottom lip. "All of this, just for the chance to fuck me?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Ben snarled as he pushed Hux back forcefully against the wall again, a hand twisted savagely into strawberry blond hair.

Ben’s teeth attacked the underside of Hux’s jaw as Hux raked his fingernails down the toned expanse of Ben’s stomach.

"You think this is flattery?" Hux quipped, biting his lip to suppress the groan bubbling up in his throat as Ben forced his knee between Hux's thighs.

Ben’s free hand practically ripped Hux's shirt from the waistband and Hux used the moment of distraction to push Ben back. One hard shove saw Ben backed into the wall opposite; his t-short torn at the neck; skin flushed and blood smeared across his chin; panting hard. Hux was on him in a second, pinning Ben’s wrists above his head as he pressed against him.

“Do you want to fuck me?” Hux growled.

Ben stared at him, struggling in Hux’s grasp and craning his neck in an attempt to bite whatever he could get to. Hux slammed Ben’s hands against the wall again.

“Do you want to fuck me?” he repeated.

“Yes,” Ben hissed, face screwed up from the shooting pain through his wrists.

Hux wasn’t sure if this was the answer he’d wanted to hear, but he’d take it. Releasing Ben’s wrists, he allowed himself to be shoved onto the untidy bed, tearing Ben’s t-shirt from his body as Ben ripped Hux’s shirt open, sending buttons scattering across the floor. Breathing hard, they attacked each other again; Hux’s hands buried in Ben’s thick, dark hair as teeth scraped across his skin, harsh and sharp and leaving his gasping.

“I’ve got rules,” he panted, pulling Ben’s head up harshly to meet his eyes.

Ben was breathing hard, lips spit-slick.

“What rules?”

Hux smirked and hooked his ankle over the back of Ben’s calf, rolling them swiftly and suddenly, pinning Ben under him once again.

“First,” Hux murmured, using his grip on Ben’s hair to yank his head back, nipping at Ben’s exposed throat, “I want you to hurt me.”

He felt Ben’s breath catch.

“What?”

“Leave marks,” Hux clarified. “Bites, scratches, bruises – I want you to mark up my skin. Second...”

Ben groaned loudly as Hux sank his teeth into the side of his neck; not hard enough to draw blood but enough to leave an imprint before he drew back and continued.

“...you have to be able to keep up with me – I’m not gentle; I’m not slow; this will not be easy in the slightest.”

Ben was breathing fast and harshly; his fingertips already digging into the tops of Hux’s thighs with considerable force; his mouth dropped open. Hux slipped his thumb between Ben’s lips, hissing in pleasure as teeth clamped firmly around it, biting down.

“Last, but by no means least – you don’t stop until I say so. Can you accept the rules?”

Dragging his thumb from Ben’s mouth, Hux gripped his chin tightly; making sure those big doe eyes were looking directly into his. Ben was silent for a heartbeat, and then.

“Yeah...I can accept the rules.”

 

****

 

In the back of his mind, there was something telling Ben that he should stop but it was drowned out by the rest of his mind screaming in pleasure.

They had practically ripped the clothes from each other’s bodies, discarding torn clothes without a care to get to skin; so pale and smooth and soft. They wrestled on the bed, fighting for the upper hand as they kissed in a further clashing of teeth and biting of lips. Hux finally came out on top by quickly finding Ben’s major weakness and clamping his mouth over Ben’s earlobe, sucking harshly. Ben almost stopped breathing.

“It doesn’t take much to stop you in your tracks, does it?” Hux murmured into his ear, teeth nipping at the fleshy lobe. “I thought you said you could keep up.”

“We’ve just started,” gasped Ben, fingernails digging into Hux’s hips. “Of course I can keep up.”

Hux growled as renewed his attack. Ben groaned in pleasure as Hux bit into the soft, fleshy lobe of his right ear; his hands buried in Ben’s hair, tugging his head back and to the side for better access. Hux was rough – teeth pulling sharply at Ben’s skin; mouth sucking hard marks down the side of his neck and onto his chest. He didn’t know how Hux had managed it; how he’d figured out Ben’s sensitive spots immediately but he had Ben completely breathless as he worked over his skin; bright purple bruises blossoming on his throat and across his shoulders.

“Fuck...” Ben gasped.

“Already?” quipped Hux, his teeth clamped around Ben’s left nipple.

He tugged and bit down, causing Ben to cry out as he was hit with a wave of painful pleasure. Ben buried a hand in Hux’s messed hair and bunched up the bed sheets in the other, panting hard as his vision blurred.

“You’re eager. I’m worried you might be peaking too soon, Solo.”

Ben gritted his teeth and yanked hard on Hux’s hair, satisfaction flooding him as he heard Hux hiss.

“I can take whatever you throw at me,” he growled with confidence.

Hux smirked.

“Well, you’ve not given _me_  anything yet,” Hux responded.

His fingernails dug sharply into Ben’s left pectoral and made him wince.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“Rule One, Ben. Give me something and I’ll give you something in return.”

Hux slid quickly up Ben’s torso, catching his bottom lip between his teeth as he straddled Ben’s hips. Growling, Ben wrapped his arms around Hux’s narrow waist and sat up from the bed. Raking his nails across the smooth, pale skin of Hux’s back, Ben sank his teeth into those freckled shoulders. He’d fantasised about this only a week ago; thought about biting each and every light brown speckle; of chasing them with his tongue and dragging his lips along the constellation of freckles that covered Hux’s chest and shoulders. They tasted clean; just as he thought they would.

He barely noticed Hux reaching behind him and into his underwear drawer for the essential supplies; too intent on covering the space around every freckle with harsh, red bite marks. Skin slid against skin as Hux shifted in Ben’s lap, lifting up as he slipped newly-slicked fingers behind him and into the space between his buttocks; letting out the smallest hiss as he breached himself.

It was fast and rough – Hux’s free hand still tugging at Ben’s hair so hard that his eyes stung with tears; Ben’s teeth leaving marks on Hux’s shoulders so deep they would bruise; his nails leaving long welts down Hux’s back.

“This isn’t so strenuous,” Ben murmured into Hux’s bony shoulder. “I could do this all night.”

“Is that so?” Hux replied; voice strained and breathless as he continued to roughly work himself open.

Unwrapping his hand from the strands of Ben’s hair, Hux placed it centrally on Ben’s chest and shoved hard, causing Ben to fall back on the bed, bouncing slightly. Hux adjusted his position, straddling the top of Ben’s thighs as he leaned across the bed and dragged lube and a condom towards him, green eyes fixed on Ben’s face. Ben was breathing hard, watching as Hux expertly ripped open the condom packet with his teeth and he stopped breathing for several seconds when Hux’s warm hand wrapped around his cock.

Ben was rock hard and leaking already; a clear pearl of precome beading at the slit of his cock. He groaned as Hux smeared across the head with his thumb, rubbing the fluid into Ben’s skin before running his hand down the shaft to the base. Holding it firmly and upright, Hux slid the condom over Ben’s cock with practiced ease; rolling the latex sheath down the shaft to the base before picking up the bottle of lube and pouring it liberally into his palm. Those piercing eyes never left Ben’s as Hux ran his slicked hand over Ben’s cock again; coating him base to tip in a liberal amount of lube before shifting his knees further up next to Ben’s hips.

 

Ben felt himself breach Hux’s body; the tight muscle resisting for a second before giving way and letting him enter. It was hot and tight and much too fast; Ben gasping in shock and pleasure as he was enveloped quickly.

Hux looked almost serene – eyes closed gently; lips slightly parted and breathing in short bursts as he took Ben’s entire cock; sliding down to the base in a matter of seconds and bottoming out with a soft sigh. Hux’s head tilted back, exposing the long pale column of his throat and the blossoming marks that scattered it; the indentation of teeth.

He looked incredible above him; back straight as his nails scraped up his body and buried themselves in his hair. Hux moaned softly as he started to move; keeping Ren deep inside him as he rolled his hips again and again, his cock standing proud and curving slightly towards his stomach. Ben’s hand trailed across Hux’s body as he watched. Hux was so tight around his cock; so slick and hot. It overwhelmed Ben and made him dizzy as Hux’s strong thighs lifted him up and dropped him down again; rhythmic in their pull-roll-push circuit; slowly increasing speed and intensity until they were both breathless.

“Holy fuck...” Ben gasped. “That feels so fucking good...”

Hux said nothing; his teeth sinking into his lower lip as he moved faster; took Ben deeper; breath coming fast through his parted lips.

Ben’s hand moved up over Hux’s body, feeling the muscles in Hux’s belly tighten as he moved, scraping a fingernail against an erect nipple and delighting in the soft moan he was rewarded with. His hands were back in Hux’s hair instantly, fingers scraping through strawberry blond strands; now damp with sweat.

“Is this all you’ve got?” Ben panted after a moment.

Hux’s green eyes snapped open and fixed on him, pinning him with their severe gaze as he leaned down; never changing his pace. His breath was hot and harsh as he kissed Ben roughly, sucking on his tongue and biting at his lips; fingers curling back in Ben’s hair again.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Hux breathed.

“Just get on with it,” Ben retorted.

Hux snarled at him, a hand encircling Ben’s throat and exerting pressure for just a few seconds before it was gone and Hux’s elbows slammed onto the mattress beside Ben’s ears. If Ben had thought Hux’s pace couldn’t get faster, he’d have been wrong. Hux’s thighs were strong, working at an incredible rate as he lifted himself up and down; his back arched slightly at lessen the angle even as he took Ben’s cock all the way to the base before lifting all the way to the tip and back again.

Ben’s hands were everywhere: Hux’s hair; the backs of his thighs; encircling Hux’s back and waist as he pushed up into the tight heat of Hux’s body when Hux slammed back down onto him. Faster and faster; Hux’s teeth scraping against the skin of his neck and Ben left his marks; bitten and scratched into every inch of Hux he could reach. Ben was loud; his moans escalating until they were almost yells of pleasure punctuated by Hux’s sharp gasps and occasional grunts of exertion.

He was breathless, lungs screaming in protest as Hux sat up again and sank fully back onto Ben’s cock, letting his back arch and his head tip back. Hands steadying freckled hips and feeling the sharp jut of bone beneath the skin biting into his palm, Ben lay helpless as Hux began to move in earnest; clenching his muscles as he lifted up and releasing as he slammed back down onto Ben’s cock. The room was filled with the harsh slap of flesh on flesh as Ben’s hips snapped up to meet him, fucking up into Hux’s body and Hux slammed down onto him; drawing out small noises of intense pleasure from the redhead.

They moved together perfectly, hard and fast and filling the humid air of the room with ragged gasps and loud moans, driving each other closer to the edge. Ben felt as though he were about to burst; his toes numb and thighs burning as he felt himself hurtling towards the edge of orgasm. He dug his fingernails into the tops of Hux’s thighs, desperately; willing himself not to come even as the exquisite pain of it drove him half mad. He felt the heat of it begin to condense; to tighten at his core as he was ridden hard and fast; Hux showing no signs of slowing or stopping. Desperately, Ben clung on; nails biting hard enough into Hux’s skin to draw blood.

The breath caught in Hux’s throat, suddenly and he arched in a single, smooth movement that took Ben’s cock deep. It must have hit the perfect spot, because immediately Hux’s cock began spurting pearly-white fluid, spilling all over Ben’s stomach as Hux tugged hard on his own hair. The pressure around him was enough to tip Ben over the edge; his vision going white as his hips snapped up into the tight heat of Hux’s body one more time; his orgasm lasting for ages and leaving his thighs trembling and his lungs burning with exertion.

Ben lay there; blood pounding in his ears as he struggled to get his breath under control. He heard a soft hiss as he felt Hux move; sliding up and off of him. Cold immediately hit him where there had been blissful heat and tightness; and he shivered even though he was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Blinking, his vision still blurred, Ben looked at Hux who was already at the edge of the bed and standing up. Ben didn’t know how his legs could possibly keep him upright after all that.

“Where are you going?” Ben asked breathlessly.

“To shower,” Hux replied; coolly. “And then to bed – my own bed.”

Ben felt as though he’d just been punched. He’d stupidly thought that this would change things; that the mind-blowing sex they’d just had, meant something more than just a rough fuck to ease the tension. With a sinking feeling, he realised just how wrong he had been.

He watched Hux retreat from his room without a backwards glance – all long limbs and pale skin now marked up by Ben’s teeth and nails. Nothing had changed at all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight warning for Ben's mental health issues here - they are nasty things that lead him to do silly and awful things. May be upsetting to read, I don't know.

The scalding hot water of the shower ran into the indents and cuts made by teeth and fingernails; stinging mercilessly and causing Hux to hiss in discomfort. As much as it hurt, he couldn’t deny that he loved it – the pain sharpened his mind and Hux needed that feeling more than anything today. He had an important meeting at work and it required his full concentration.

Hux sighed as he braced himself against the wall and let the hot water beat at his back which was covered in angry red welts. The pain might have been good, but it wouldn’t do for him to remember how they got there. Hux was still berating himself for letting himself be broken down by Ben’s petty antics; for losing his temper for the first time in years; for allowing Ben to be party to his rules and riding him long and hard until they were both exhausted.

He didn’t know what he was angrier at – the fact that Ben had agreed to the rules, or the fact that he could actually keep up with Hux. Not many people could and Hux had ended many a sexual encounter disappointed but Ben...Ben had given as good as he got; had done everything Hux had asked of him and more. It had been...quite frankly, incredible, and Hux had the marks to prove it. It should have been enough – itch scratched and time to move on. If Ben had been anything but amazing at Hux’s particular brand of rough, almost violent sex, perhaps Hux would have been content to let it die, but as much as he tried to tell himself that it had been enough, Hux knew it wasn’t.

Hux grimaced at his reflection in the mirror as he stood to shave and noticed the large purple bruises running in a line from the underside of his jaw and down his throat to his collarbone. Touching them gingerly, Hux realised that Ben had worked him over so thoroughly that they would be visible for at least a week. Worse still; they would be visible above Hux’s shirt collar and on display for the entire Government Finance Department to see. He shaved quickly and dressed in his room, pulling up his collar as high as it would go without any luck in concealing them.

Ten minutes later, Hux was knocking on Phasma’s door. Her calm blue eyes fell immediately to the purple bruises on Hux’s neck and he felt his cheeks heat up under her gaze.

“Good morning,” he murmured, formally. “I was wondering if you had anything that would help me cover up some marks. Make-up, perhaps?”

He hated to ask, but he had no other choice – he couldn’t possibly turn up to work with visible hickeys across his throat.

Phasma’s fair eyebrows arched gracefully upwards.

“I don’t own any,” she replied. “I work in a gym – it just smudges off with sweat. You might be better off trying upstairs.”

Hux cast a glance to the staircase that led to the upstairs flats and bit the inside of his cheek. It was embarrassing enough to ask Phasma and she knew more about Hux than anybody else in the world.

“Thank you,” he replied after a moment’s silent contemplation.

“You’re welcome,” murmured Phasma.

Hux could feel her ice-blue eyes on his back as he turned and made his way up the stairs. There would be a conversation later, he knew it – Phasma would get the information out of him sooner or later.

He paused at the top of the stairs and wondered which of the flats would be housing Rey at this time of the morning. Hux was vaguely aware that Jessika had returned from almost a month away, and if Jessika was in her own flat then Rey was likely to be staying at Finn and Poe’s. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the latter’s door, receiving a short bark of response as the corgi inside heard the sound. Thirty seconds later the young girl pulled open the door; her dark hair fell in a knotted mass around her face and shoulders, and she was obviously wearing borrowed sweatpants and t-shirt. Rey blinked at him, confused.

“I’m sorry to ask,” Hux began before she could get a word in. “I’m pressing for time and I need to get to work as quickly as possible. I was wondering if you had any make up that covers marks?”

Rey blinked again; brown eyes slowly dropping from Hux’s face to the prominent purple bruises on his throat. Immediately, she seemed to perk up.

“I don’t really wear makeup,” she replied. “You need Poe.”

Hux frowned.

“Poe? But I need...”

“Don’t worry, he’s an expert,” Rey breezed.

Reaching out, she caught Hux’s jacket sleeve and pulled him inside the flat, calling for Poe. A head full of neat black waves appeared around the bedroom door; dark eyes looking from Rey to Hux, and back again.

“Hux has hickeys,” Rey explained.

Hux felt his embarrassed flush deepen as Poe grinned at him.

“Oh well, that’s totally my area! Come here and we’ll get those covered up for you.”

Poe was a lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at the University, and while their dress code was not as strict as that of the Civil Service, Hux could understand the need for professionalism. It was likely that Poe had covered up a few marks in his time, what with being married and all. He still wasn’t very comfortable as Poe whipped out a cover stick from a drawer and turned Hux’s head so that his chin was tilted upwards.

“Well, well...” Poe mused as he dabbed the makeup over the dark bruises. “These are pretty ones. Who gave you those?”

“It’s none of your business,” growled Hux.

It came out a little harsher than he’d meant it, but Hux was not one for people prying into his private life. Poe blinked at him.

“Alright, buddy,” he said softly. “Didn’t mean to overstep.”

Hux said nothing as he remained completely still. The makeup felt heavy and suffocating to his skin and he disliked it instantly.

“There you go,” Poe said after a while. “The cover-up is a little darker than your natural skin tone, but at least the bruises aren’t noticeable anymore.”

“Thank you,” replied Hux, stiffly.

“No problem.”

Hux left as quickly as possible, trying not to notice three pairs of eyes watching him closely as he hurried through the door and down the stairs. He made a note to buy something for Poe to make up for snapping at him and as thanks for helping him with the hickeys. Hux cursed himself for not being more careful – he should have kept Ben away from his neck, despite the fact that it had felt so damn good.

Damn Ben Solo, causing Hux more problems than his worth.

 

****

 

Ben’s night had been disturbed, but at least he’d slept in his own bed and not on the floor this time. He was unfortunately now more confused about Hux than he ever had been. Ben’s head was still reeling from the feel of Hux’s skin under his teeth; the tightness of his body and the way he had known exactly what he was doing and what he’d wanted. Ben had never experienced sex like it in his life – all hard and fast and vicious; completely exhilarating; more like a physical fight ending in an orgasm than anything else.

It hadn’t been his intention...or had it? Ben couldn’t even remember anymore what his intention had been. Hux had cut him with cruel words; made Ben feel worthless and harshly rejected, and Ben had retaliated the only way he knew how – by making sure Hux paid him attention. Ben didn’t know if he’d done it with the intention of getting his flatmate into bed; he didn’t think he had but they had ended up there anyway and now it was all Ben could think about.

He heard Hux get up for work and he lay still, listening to the sound of the shower running; the faint rattle of the closet doors as they opened and closed; the faint, gentle click of the front door as Hux left. Ben lay in bed for at least an hour afterwards, rolled in the warmth of his covers and wondering if he could possibly get back to sleep. He gave up eventually, climbing out of bed and searching the floor for some clothes.

Ben needed a shower – after Hux had left him the night before, sweaty and sticky from bodily fluid, Ben had done nothing more than wipe the worst off with a t-shirt and crawled under his covers. He smelled of stale sex and sweat, and felt even more disgusting than usual as he made his way into the living room and grimaced at the state of it all.

In his effort to get Hux’s attention, Ben had pretty much wrecked the flat and now there was so much mess and filth that Ben didn’t even know where to start clearing it up. It was overwhelming and he was appalled at himself for letting it all get as bad. Ben collapsed on the couch, almost bursting into tears when he landed on his still-damp towel from the day before.

He almost jumped out of his skin when the front door suddenly opened and a woman appeared in the living room doorway – tall, broad, and very pretty with blue eyes and short, pale blonde hair. It could only be Phasma, and Ben immediately felt a flash of anger at her presence.

“Did Hux send you?” he sniped. “He can’t stand to talk to me himself, so he’s sent you to do it for him?”

“Actually,” Phasma replied, he voice surprisingly calm and gentle, “I came to bring you breakfast.”

Ben’s jaw dropped in surprise as Phasma held up a paper bag from the bakery around the corner, and a cardboard container holding two coffee cups.

“I thought it was about time we had a chat,” Phasma continued. “And not because anybody asked me to.”

Ben felt ashamed – yet another thing on the long list of things he currently hated about himself. Guiltily, Ben bit his lip and looked at the floor.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’m just having a really shitty time of it lately and I tend to lash out at people around me. It’s not an excuse...”

“I know,” Phasma replied.

Ben looked at her again and managed a weak smile. Phasma was at least as all as Ben and just as broad, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t feminine. She wore well-fitting jeans with high-heeled boots that took her to at least six-foot-five; her shirt was fitted and hugged her curves in the right places; and wore a rhinestone comb to hold back the shorter side of her light blonde hair. Phasma radiated capability and strength – both physical and emotional. Although Ben was sure he would never want to get on her bad side, he did find her instantly likeable...just like everybody else he’d met in this building, except for his flatmate of course.

She smiled at him as she crossed the carpet, knocked a pile of takeout boxes out of the way with her foot and sat down gracefully on the floor, handing Ben a coffee and a pastry.

“So,” Phasma murmured as she took her own pastry from the bag and nibbled on it delicately. “Do you perhaps want to tell me about all of this?”

Ben grimaced as she gestured to the state of the flat with her free hand.

“How much do you know?” he asked around a mouthful of maple and pecan pastry.

“Everything,” replied Phasma gently. “I even know that you two are having sex.”

Ben winced.

“So he did talk to you.”

“Not about that,” she said. “He knocked on my door this morning wanting makeup to cover those spectacular hickeys on his neck, but he didn’t say a word more than that.”

“Then how...?”

“These walls are thin,” Phasma interrupted him. “And I’m smart enough to put all the details together. The question is, Ben – how do you feel about this?”

Surprised, Ben blinked.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

Phasma looked at him over the rim of her plastic coffee cup, taking her time as she sipped before replying.

“I just want to know your side. I know that your relationship with Hux started on a rocky foundation but it was getting better...and now it’s come to trashing the flat and hatefucking.”

“I thought Hux would have already told you.”

“He told me his side,” Phasma replied. “I want to know yours. What’s your motivation behind this?”

Ben sighed and set his pastry aside.

“I don’t know,” he replied honestly. “I don’t know how this happened. One minute he was fine – it was all going fine. We were getting along; having fun; kissing...and then the next minute he’s shut me down and closed off.”

“That happens more often than you know.”

“Why?”

Phasma shrugged.

“You’d have to talk to Hux.”

Ben rolled his eyes.

“That’s not a help.”

“Only because I’m making you seek out the information instead of giving it to you. You don’t get to take the easy option with me – if it isn’t my story to tell, then you have to ask the person whose story it is.”

Ben sighed.

“I just...I just wanted him to pay attention to me again; to stop ignoring me like I was nothing.”

“Well, you got what you wanted.”

“No I didn’t,” Ben replied, miserably. “Yes, it got his attention but we’re no further forward than we were before...”

Phasma nibbled a little more pastry.

“Before you had very loud and violent sex that almost put a hole through my wall?”

Ben gave her a wry smile.

“Something like that. Now I’m just confused and angry with myself.”

“Hmmm...”

Phasma said nothing more as she finished her pastry and continued to watch Ben with calm, blue eyes.

“What do I do?” asked Ben.

“Well,” mused Phasma. “I suggest the first thing would be to get a shower and tidy up this flat. I’ll help with the latter, but other than that the only thing you can do is talk to him.”

Ben snorted. Hux would barely look at him now, never mind talk to him and worse than that; Ben wanted Hux to pay attention to him more than he ever had.

 

****

 

Jessika Pava had been home less than twenty four hours when she’d heard yelling coming from one of the downstairs flats. It hadn’t gone on for long, and Jessika had been tired; more concerned with getting into her own bed for the first time in a whole month than her neighbours having a domestic. Once she was well-rested, well-fed, and dressed comfortably in her own casual, civilian clothes; Jesskia ventured next door to the Damerons’ where Finn and Rey were entertaining the delightfully plump corgi with tricks and treats.

“It’s only me,” she trilled, knocking on the door as she walked in and getting a corgi around the ankles for her troubles.

“Jess!” Rey squealed, dragging herself up from the floor to launch herself at Jessika and hug her half to death.

She earned a softer, more gentle hug from Finn and an enthusiastic tail-wag from BB-8; soon finding herself sitting down on the couch with a fresh cup of hazelnut coffee.

“Didn’t expect to see you around so early,” Finn said cheerfully. “Not that it isn’t a pleasure as always.”

Jess grinned at him as the corgi bounded into her lap.

“Well, I’m all rested up now. It’s so refreshing not to be a slave to Air Force time,” she took a sip of her coffee and remembered why she’d knocked in the first place. “I was actually wondering if you could fill me in on what’s been going on here in my absence. I thought I heard yelling downstairs – does Hux have a new roommate?”

Finn and Rey looked at each other – a dark, ominous look – and turned back to Jessika.

“Oh boy,” Finn murmured. “We have a tale to tell you.”

Over the course of an hour, Rey and Finn told her about Ben Solo – the nice young History PhD student who had rented Hux’s spare room just after Jessika had gone away; how Ben and Hux’s beginnings had been strained at first, but then how they had quickly grown to like each other.

“Poe was almost positive that they’d be dating before that week was out,” Rey told her.

“What happened?”

“We don’t really know,” Finn confessed. “Ben stumbled in here one morning in an awful mess saying that he and Hux had made out on the couch and then...”

“Hux went cold,” finished Rey.

“Fuck!” Jessika exclaimed. “That’s so fucking typical of him!”

“We know,” murmured Finn. “It all got worse from there.”

They told Jess about Hux’s put-down of Ben; and about Ben’s revenge by turning the flat into an unliveable space and messing with Hux’s things; finally coming up to date with the brief argument that everyone had heard the night before.

“Hux came in here this morning with hickeys all down his throat,” said Rey, wrinkling her nose.

Jessika’s jaw dropped.

“You don’t think they....”

“Fucked each other out of pure spite?” Finn finished for her. “I wouldn’t put it past either of them, to be honest.”

“Hux didn’t seem too happy to talk about it,” Rey added.

Jess shrugged.

“Well, that’s just Hux – he doesn’t give much away at the best of times. Have you spoken to Ben about it?”

“I was going to go down this afternoon,” replied Rey.

“Honestly, I’m worried,” said Finn, seriously. “They both really liked each other and now they’re doing this? They’re not talking to each other...it’s not healthy.”

“Well, if they’re both as stubborn as each other, then there isn’t really much we can do,” Jessika murmured.

One month away and the whole building went to hell, she thought. Maybe she should consider a career change as a babysitter instead of a pilot.

 

****

 

Hux didn’t often meet people for coffee at lunchtime, but he felt like he owed it to Poe Dameron. It had been a week since he’d had sex with Ben; since Poe had helped him cover up the physical evidence and Hux had snapped at him. He’d apologised but it hadn’t stopped him from feeling guilty about it, and since the University and the Government buildings were only a five minute walk from each other, Hux had suggested meeting for coffee one lunchtime and Poe had cheerfully accepted it.

Poe was a good man – kind and considerate and caring, but he couldn’t stop himself from prying. It wasn’t malicious, but it wasn’t subtle either and Hux couldn’t help but feel slightly annoyed that Poe would not leave things alone.

"Not heard any yells coming from your apartment this week,” his neighbour said cheerfully as they walked along by the river. “Everything better now?"

"If 'better' means that my awful flatmate finally cleared up the mess he made, then yes."

Poe laughed softly.

"I meant, did you two make up?"

"There's nothing to make up - we were never really friends to begin with. It's only a living arrangement," Hux replied, stiffly.

Poe looked away, obviously disappointed by Hux’s answer; probably hoping for some kind of reconciliation between the two.

The truth that Hux didn’t really want to admit, was that he actually missed talking to Ben. It had been two weeks since their last real conversation – when Hux had read Ben’s essay and they had spent most of the night talking about Anakin Skywalker and Count Dooku and their battles. Ben was intelligent and charming, and they had more in common than had first appeared. Hux knew it was his own fault for giving in to the temptation of finding out what Ben’s mouth tasted like; how their bodies felt as they were pressed together; what Ben felt like moving inside of him.

Ben had cleaned up his mess in the flat, surprising Hux when he’d come home at the end of the previous week to find everything as it should have been. Hux had even briefly considered trying to rebuild their relationship, but then Ben went and did it again – that thing where he did something so incredibly sweet, it made Hux want to bolt like a startled deer.

He’d come home to a cupcake, much like the one Ben had bought him after their first fight. Just a solitary, unassuming cupcake in a little white box; but it was a gesture made out of pure kindness. Ben obviously still thought enough of him to apologise and for some reason it scared Hux half to death. People didn’t fight to get his attention – Hux had never been worth the effort for anybody, and he couldn’t understand why Ben kept trying.

Hux hadn’t mentioned the cupcake and neither had Ben. They had moved around each other silently in the apartment, neither of them looking at the other as they passed. Hux had felt Ben’s eyes on him, though; watching him when he believed Hux was otherwise occupied and his attention focussed elsewhere. It was as though those dark, doe-eyes were searing Hux’s skin through his clothes; making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up with excitement. Nothing had happened though – Ben always walked away again and Hux always let him; half wishing Ben would try something and half hoping he’d stay as far away as possible.

Beside him, in the present, Poe Dameron sighed and drained his coffee cup.

“I dunno, buddy. I guess I’m just concerned for you.”

Hux glanced at his neighbour and gave him a marginal smile.

“Don’t be,” he murmured. “I’m fine. I’m always fine.”

 

****

 

Ben never knew he was going to have a bad day until it happened.

It had been almost two weeks now since that night with Hux and Ben was dealing with it. He’d pretty much thrown himself into working on his thesis ever since, hoping that work would take his mind from the fact that Hux still wasn’t talking to him and ignoring almost all of Ben’s attempts to reconcile. It had worked for the most part – Ben spent a lot of time in the University and Public Libraries; he attended lectures and went to seminars; he kept up his weekly therapy appointments which always helped him get his feelings out in the open without the fear that anyone would judge him for it; and he spent his afternoons playing Halo with Rey. Nights were spent quietly piecing together all of his information in order to write more for his thesis.

The day had started out just fine; having breakfast at the cafe around the corner with Finn and Rey before heading out to a seminar at the University. It was after lunch when things started to go downhill and Ben just couldn’t put his finger on why.

He’d made another trip to the War Office again to make a request for documents. It could have been that the desk clerk was standoffish, or that it was too cold as he stood and waited but Ben found his mood drastically slipping as his request was processed at its usual snail’s pace. By the time Ben made it home again, he was a wreck.

This happened to him every so often. Ben could start the day out just fine and then halfway through he’d find his mood changing suddenly and drastically. Sometimes it was rage that he just couldn’t control, and other times Ben was besieged by feelings of worthlessness. It was overwhelming and got worse as time ticked by.

The flat was still empty when he returned and Ben was glad. He curled up into a ball on his bed and cried for a while, but the tears didn’t help. His thoughts started to turn dark, replaying the events of the last few weeks over and over in his head – Snoke...Hux...

Snoke’s rebuke had hurt him, as Ben respected the Professor and his opinion very highly. He’d tried to do his best; tried to use the resources available to him to produce something his mentor would like and praise him for, but Ben had failed. He had failed, like he had failed so many times before because he was useless.

And then there was Hux who Ben couldn’t stop thinking about; who repeatedly ignored him and sniped at him; who had made it clear to him that there was nothing between them. Ben had messed up there. He had done something wrong and he was so stupid that he couldn’t even figure out what it was. Maybe he deserved this. Maybe Ben was a terrible person.

He lost track of time as things got worse. His brain wouldn’t stop screaming at him about how terrible he was; screaming so loud it gave him a headache that he’d have done almost anything to stop. Slowly, Ben uncurled from his bed and walked on shaking legs to the kitchen for something to alleviate his headache and maybe to put him to sleep for a very long time. Ben opened cupboard after cupboard before he remembered that this wasn’t the home he grew up in and that Hux didn’t keep medicine in the kitchen.

Grabbing the ¾ full bottle of vodka from the fridge, Ben walked in a daze to the bathroom and opened the cabinet on the wall, finding what he needed immediately. If he took enough pills the headache would go away, and if he drank enough of the vodka it would help him sleep. That was the way these things worked, wasn’t it? It was perfectly fine – Ben just needed to get through this day and it would be better in the morning. He just needed things to help make it better.

Ben didn’t remember moving from the bathroom to the living room, but he was standing barefoot on the carpet in the middle of the floor when Hux arrived home. The redhead stopped dead, seeing Ben with red-rimmed eyes, trembling for head to foot and carrying a bottle of vodka in one hand and a full pack of painkillers in the other.

“I’m having a bad day...” Ben croaked.

His voice didn’t sound like his own. His body didn’t feel like his own. Ben didn’t even feel like he was really there.

Ben couldn’t read Hux’s expression; that sharp-featured face staying neutral as Hux moved slowly towards Ben and gently slid the vodka bottle from his hand. Ben noticed that Hux didn’t use a coaster when he set the bottle down on the coffee table. He didn’t notice Hux taking the painkillers from his other hand.

“It’s okay,” Hux murmured. “What do you need?”

Hux’s soft words almost broke him; hot salt tears streaming down Ben’s cheeks without warning.

“I need to not be alone,” Ben whispered.

He was so used to those piercing green eyes looking at him coldly that he was surprised to look up and find no ice in them at all.

It was almost like a dream; like Ben was watching from a different angle as Hux took Ben’s trembling hand in his and led him through the house; past Ben’s chaotic mess of a bedroom and into the oasis of calm that was Hux’s. Ben said nothing as he watched Hux turn down the precision-made bed covers and strip off his tie and shirt and suit trousers; hanging them up carefully in the closet before turning back to Ben.

“May I?” Hux asked, quietly.

Ben wasn’t sure how Hux had got to him – one second he was on the other side of the room and the next minute he was standing in front of Ben in his underwear; those green eyes looking directly into his. It took Ben a few seconds to realise what Hux was asking him, until he remembered that he was still in his jeans and shirt from earlier in the day, and Hux’s fingers were hovering just above Ben’s belt buckle.

“Yeah...” Ben managed to breathe.

He was still trembling as Hux undressed him, methodically and clinically. There wasn’t anything romantic or sexual about it – it was just one flatmate assisting the other; Ben barely having any control over his limbs or the energy to do anything more than stand there. Stripped down to his underwear, Ben was pulled into Hux’s bed and the covers were pulled up around him.

Hux’s bed felt incredible. The sheets were brushed cotton; soft and warm against his bare skin; the duvet, heavy and comforting. Hux settled next to him and pulled Ben to him, sliding an arm about his broad shoulders as Ben’s head rested on Hux’s chest.

It was awkward – Ben, too long and curled up into the slimmer body next to him; Hux’s arm not quite finding a comfortable resting place around him; his body, stiff. Ben didn’t care because Hux was warm; his skin, soft under Ben’s cheek; heart beating out a steady rhythm that soothed him almost immediately.

“It’s okay,” Hux murmured again.

His arm had slipped up until it was behind Ben’s neck, crooking so that his hand rested on Ben’s hair; fingers feathering gently through dark curls. Ben closed his eyes as his shaking body began to still and the screaming in his brain got quieter as he listened to Hux’s heartbeat. This was pleasant; calming – Ben didn’t want it to stop.

“Can I stay here tonight?” he whispered, tentatively.

There was silence for a moment before Hux replied.

“Yes.”

“Thank you...” Ben murmured, snuggling further into the body beside him.

Hux looked like he could be stick thin and bony underneath his clothes, but the reality was that he was all softness and rounded curves; no sharpness anywhere; comfortable. Ben thought he could stay like that forever.

“You’re welcome,” he heard Hux reply, just before sleep finally claimed Ben’s exhausted mind and body.

 

****

 

Ben woke with surprise the next day to find he wasn’t in his own bed. The walls were blue and not the soft grey he was used to; the sheets softer; the covers cleaner. He remembered seconds later what had happened and groaned, covering his face with his hands.

This hadn’t happened to him for a while. Ben had had a lot of similar episodes in his late teens before they figured out what it was. Stress tended to be the trigger for bad episodes like that and Ben hated that he’d let himself get so ill without even noticing. It was more embarrassing that he’d dragged Hux into it all considering the relationship they had with each other at this point. Ben had needed some gravity – somebody to pull him back and keep him under control and Hux had been that person; the one Ben had needed right then.

That’s all it had been, he told himself. It meant nothing that he had been soothed by the sound of Hux’s heartbeat or that he’d fallen asleep in Hux’s arms with those beautiful hands running through his hair. Just because Hux had comforted him when Ben needed it most, didn’t mean things had changed, no matter how much he might have wanted it to.

Ben felt drained and still shaky as he dressed quickly and dragged himself to the kitchen, drinking orange juice straight from the carton and cramming whatever food he could find into his mouth in order to quiet the growling of his stomach. He had no idea what time it was but he would hazard a guess at almost noon.

A sharp knock on the door heralded Rey, and an excited round corgi bounded in ahead of her to almost knock Ben off his feet. BB-8’s tail wagged enthusiastically as his fat little body pressed against Ben’s legs, and Ben couldn’t help but grin as he crouched to pet the dog.

“Hello!” Rey trilled, cheerfully; stopping abruptly as she saw Ben’s dishevelled state. “Fuck, what happened to you? Hux left a very cryptic note, asking me to check on you. Now I can see why.”

Ben laughed once as he sat on the floor and allowed BB-8 to crawl all over him.

“I was...not well last night,” he replied.

“Yeah, you look like shit,” Rey confirmed.

Ben grinned. He loved that Rey never sugar-coated anything for him.

“I feel it,” he confessed. “But I’m okay. Hux sort of...looked after me and I just need a day to rest up.”

Rey raised her eyebrows.

“So are you and Hux...?”

“Still not really talking,” Ben told her. “But it’s nice to know he’s not totally heartless.”

“He was worried about you,” Rey said sternly. “He would never have left a note for me otherwise.”

Ben looked at the floor and shrugged. Rey was probably right, but Ben wasn’t about to let any spark of hope to ignite. Rey sighed.

“I’ve got to pop out for a bit – do you want me to leave BB-8? Maybe bring you back some food?”

Ben’s eyebrows arched upwards.

“You have money for food?”

“Well, no. You’d have to give me some,” Rey replied, beaming brightly at him.

Ben laughed.

“Fine. Take some money from my wallet. I’ll hold the dog to ransom until I get a burrito.”

Rey giggled at him and took off, leaving him alone to scratch the round, furry belly of the orange corgi. Ben was really glad to have him there – he missed his parents’ wolfhound that had been a bit of a lifesaver during Ben’s earlier episodes. He’d be okay with BB-8 for a while until Rey got back. At least he wouldn’t be alone.

 

****

 

It hadn’t been mentioned at all – not the next day or the day after that. Ben didn’t bring it up and neither did he, but Hux had to admit that it had unnerved him a little to come home to Ben in such a terrible emotional state and a bottle of vodka in his hands. He didn’t want to even know what could have happened with the alcohol and painkillers if he hadn’t come home at that point.

Hux had left Ben sleeping peacefully in his bed when he went to work the next day, leaving a note for Rey to check on him later and had come home to Ben asleep in his own bed and his arms wrapped around the Damerons’ corgi.

The thing that may have disturbed him more than coming home to that was probably his reaction to it. Hux had been trying to keep his distance from Ben; trying not to get too close or get attached; but then he had let Ben sleep in his bed and held him through the night. He tried not to think too much about how nice it had been to have the warmth of another body wrapped around his, or to have Ben’s soft hair brushing against his skin. He was honestly glad that Ben hadn’t mentioned it.

Those eyes still watched him though – from the couch when Hux was in the kitchen, pouring a glass of wine after work. Hux could feel his skin tingle under his clothes from that intense, dark stare and it made him want. He’d end up in a cold shower or back in his bedroom early, just to avoid doing something stupid.

It could never have lasted long, though – avoiding the painfully obvious.

The end of the week saw Hux feeling irritated with his normally calming journey home on the train interrupted by delays and carriage changes; driving Hux’s anxiety through the roof. He was ready to snipe the moment he walked through the door to the flat, picking a fight with Ben over the smallest thing.

“There’s dry mud in the hallway,” he groused as he walked through the living room; blocking Ben’s view of the TV.

“Yeah,” Ben replied. “I was waiting till it dried so I could clean it up.”

“Well, it’s dry now,” Hux snapped.

He popped off his cufflinks and slid them into his pocket as he headed towards the kitchen; rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. From the living room, Ben raised his eyebrows.

“Feeling tense today, are we?”

Hux shot him a look as he reached into a cupboard for a glass. Ben had be lounging across the couch, but now he sat up; long legs lowering to the floor as he stood and wandered to the kitchen.

“Need a massage?”

“Shut up,” Hux growled.

He uncorked his open bottle of wine and poured out a generous measure before bringing the glass to his lips and draining it in one gulp. Hux could feel them again – Ben’s eyes, staring at him from the kitchen door; heating his skin up and causing a light pink flush to rise in his face.

“What are you staring at?” he snapped, barely casting a glance over his shoulder.

“You,” replied Ben, quietly.

Hux pulled the cork out of the bottle again and poured another glass; pushing the bottle to the back of the worktop. He could feel Ben move; almost stalking towards Hux and making the hairs on the back of his neck prickle with excitement.

“I could help,” Ben murmured.

His voice was closer now, almost directly behind Hux’s right ear. Hux bit his lip, feeling the warmth of Ben’s body behind him; the ghost touch of Ben’s fingertips trailing lightly over the back of his shirt and over his collar. His stomach back flipped; knees feeling weak as Ben’s thumbs brushed over the exposed skin below his hairline; Ben’s breath warm as he lowered his head, lips almost grazing...

“Stop it,” Hux said firmly; his voice too loud in the cold, echoing kitchen.

It stopped immediately – warm breath, gone; hands falling from Hux’s shoulders; heat disappearing as Ben went to take a step back. Hux realised suddenly that he hadn’t wanted that at all.

“Don’t,” he said quickly, grabbing Ben’s hand before he could back away any further and pulling him in. “Don’t stop.”

Hux had avoided looking at Ben’s face for so long and now suddenly that was all he could see – dark brown eyes and soft lips now so close. A large hand pushed its way into his hair as he pulled Ben close and kissed him; hard and desperate as he was backed up against the countertop.

“Don’t stop...” he whispered again, pulling back slightly.

“Okay...”

Hux wanted Ben too much to be slow – he kicked his shoes off even as his hands fought with the belt buckle of Ben’s jeans; Ben’s hands messing up his hair...cupping his jaw...thumbs sliding down over Hux’s throat and making him gasp. In minutes, Hux had Ben’s pants around his thighs and had kicked his own off onto the floor as Ben’s hands made it to his waist.

The wine glass that had been sitting on the counter was knocked off as Ben lifted Hux up and onto the bench; smashing on the floor and spilling red wine all over the black and white tiles. Hux barely even registered it as he pulled Ben in by his t-shirt and wrapped his legs around Ben’s slim hips.

“Fuck me,” Hux murmured against Ben’s open mouth. “Fuck me right here – make me scream.”

Ben groaned loudly, his hands back in Hux’s hair as they kissed again; fast and messy. Ben’s cock was already hard as Hux reached between his legs and wrapped a hand around it. He couldn’t wait to have that cock inside him again – that perfect length filling him up and fucking into him. Hux knew just the perfect angle to sit at; leaning back with his shoulders against the wall and his ass at the edge of the counter; hips tilted up.

It was olive oil that they reached for; the pale green oil slicked over flesh to make it easier but Hux was too impatient to open up first. He wanted the feeling of being forced open fast and hard; of his body racing to accommodate the intrusion of Ben’s cock sliding inside of him; wanted it to hurt. It did.

Hux yelled, green eyes wide as Ben pushed into him; teeth scraping beautifully at Hux’s throat. It was bliss – so much, so fast; his body screaming in protest at being stretched like that, all at once. He clamped his knees to Ben’s sides, just under his ribcage as he leaned back against the wall; one hand bracing himself against the counter and the other wrapped around the back of Ben’s neck, pulling him down.

Ben’s dark eyes were huge and almost black; his face flushed as he leaned down to kiss Hux again. They were both trembling – Ben seated deep inside of him; both breathing harshly.

“Come on – move,” Hux panted.

Ben swallowed visibly, both hands planted firmly on Hux’s hips; fingernails already biting into his skin. Hux couldn’t stop staring at him – dark curls falling forward into his doe eyes as he fucked Hux hard and fast and just the way he wanted. Hux could clearly see every mole and every freckle on Ben’s face; memorizing the location of each and every one; their shape and size and colour.

The angle was perfect; Ben’s cock dragging harshly over Hux’s prostate with every thrust. Hux’s toes were numb within seconds; moans spilling freely from his mouth every time Ben pushed into him. He nipped Ben’s lower lip with his teeth; breathing in Ben’s hot exhalations as his fingers twisted into that soft dark hair. He loved this – loved how rough it was; how much it was; how fast and intense his orgasm was building.

“Fuck...” Ben breathed, his arms sliding around Hux’s back and pulling him further to the edge of the counter.

Hux practically screamed as Ben’s cock went deeper; his back practically flat against the worktop and knees pushed almost to his chest as Ben continued to fuck him fast, lips grazing against the sensitive skin of Hux’s throat.

It was over almost as suddenly as it had begun; the new, deeper angle sending Hux over the edge in no time; gasping his orgasm against Ben’s lips with his fingernails digging into the back of Ben’s thighs and Ben’s hands in his hair. Ben followed him seconds later – hips stuttering as he uttered a loud, drawn-out moan and fell still; emptying himself into Hux’s body.

Hux was numb all over; goosebumps quickly rising on his bare skin and shirt sticking to his sweat-soaked back. Ben was still above him; his weight pressing down onto him as he panted into the crook of Hux’s neck. It was uncomfortable far too soon – the endorphins racing out of his system in the aftermath and self-hatred flooding him instead. He’d done it again. He’d given into weakness and let Ben too close.

Roughly, Hux pushed Ben off him and sat up; averting his eyes from his face.

“Hux...?”

“I need a shower,” Hux muttered, sidestepping the broken glass and spilled wine as he dropped from the bench and hurried towards the bathroom, leaning his shoes and pants in a heap on the floor.

He felt sticky and disgusting; the cooling slide of come dripping down the inside of his thigh as he walked. He had wanted this so badly – wanted Ben so badly and too much. It was just sex, he told himself as he locked the bathroom door behind him and quickly turned on the water. Ben was an itch Hux wanted to scratch again and again; just a willing warm body. It didn’t have to mean anything. He had to keep his guard up; he couldn't care.


	6. Chapter 6

BOO!”

Ben almost jumped a mile as two large hands landed squarely on his shoulders and a loud voice in his ear gave him the shock of his life.

He was in the University library, leafing through a stack of old tomes for research; head bent over the books as he sat at one of the long bench-like tables, lost in concentration. Looking up, startled, he found Finn grinning at him.

“You scared the fuck out of me,” Ben muttered.

“Sorry,” Finn chuckled. “I saw you when I came in and I couldn’t resist. I’ve never seen you so deep in thought.”

Ben shrugged slightly and looked at the book again. He barely even knew what it was that he’d been trying to read – his mind had been on other things.

He really should have learned by now not to expect anything more from Hux than when he got. They seemed to be in some sort of a stalemate – fighting; fucking; calling some kind of truce leading to more fucking, and then more fighting again. Ben knew he should stop, but Hux was addictive. He’d never wanted anybody so badly in his whole life and had never felt so crushed to know he’d never really have him at all.

Ben should have known that Hux would push him away again. He’d warmed just enough to give Ben comfort during his bad episode; had been on fire when he’d asked Ben to fuck him on the kitchen worktop the previous night; and then he’d turned to ice again. Hux’s thaw was only ever temporary, and he always left Ben feeling sticky, rejected, and thoroughly confused.

It wasn’t doing him any good; this circle of fucking and fighting and rejection. Ben was sure it was what had contributed to his episode earlier in the week but he just didn’t know how to stop; how to make himself not care. Whenever he tried to concentrate on anything else, the only thing Ben could think of was Hux’s gorgeous green eyes piercing him to his very core; the heat of his body; the bite of Hux’s fingernails on his skin.

“Are you okay?”

Ben’s eyes snapped up again from the page that he’d not been reading. Finn was no longer grinning, his dark brown eyes now filled with concern and a hint of a frown etched onto his face.

“Yeah,” he replied. “I’m just having a rough time of it lately.”

“Rey said you’d been sick last week,” Finn ventured.

Ben shrugged again.

“It wasn’t anything major,” he lied. “I’m fine now.”

“So...is it Hux giving you a hard time?”

Ben’s eyebrows shot up.

“No worse than usual.”

Finn sighed.

“You know, I’m pretty sure that if you two just talked to each other,it would all get better.”

“I can’t talk to him if he won’t even look at me,” Ben muttered.

“Then you make him look at you,” replied Finn. “Corner him if you have to, but you two gotta talk.”

Ben nodded and looked back at his book. He knew what Finn was trying to get him to do, but it was harder than the kid realised. The only way Hux would look at him these days was if Ben acted out, and that usually led to a fight. He didn’t know how it would ever be resolved if this cycle continued.

 

****

 

Jessika Pava was bouncing down the stairs when Hux came home from work; smiling as she spotted him and jumping the last couple of steps to give him the briefest of hugs.

“Jess,” Hux greeted her, awkwardly returning her swift embrace; glad that it was short. “It’s nice to have you home.”

“It’s nice to _be_ home!” she replied, tucking her long black hair behind her ear. “The barracks are a poor substitute for my own place.”

Hux smiled at her, marginally as he opened the front door of his flat and stuck his head in. It was dark and thankfully quiet, and Hux couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

“I hear you got a new flatmate when I was away.”

“Yes,” Hux replied, turning on the lights and ushering her inside. “That was the biggest mistake of my life.”

“Really?” Jess murmured. “Rey and Finn said that you two actually got on quite well for a while.”

“Yes, well,” Hux said as he stripped off his jacket and carefully hung it up. “Things changed.”

Jessika followed him inside and Hux was grateful that she didn’t press the matter as he poured a glass of wine for them both.

“Chess?” he asked.

Jessika beamed at him.

“Why not?”

The chess board that sat on the table next to Hux’s armchair was already part way through a game that they had started the last time Jess was home. Ben had ruined it for a while by rearranging the pieces but thankfully had put them all back to their original positions in the end.

Not many people could last in a game of strategy with Hux, but Jess was one of those who gave him a good run and never minded losing. He missed Jessika when she wasn’t around – she was military and so they had a lot in common, and plenty to talk about. Most of her missions were classified, but they could still talk about the X-Wings that she flew and the Cadets who she was training to be pilots just like her. She always used the same chess strategy – picking the targets that would damage Hux’s game and neutralise the threat; just like a good fighter pilot would. He could always get around it.

Next to Phasma, she was probably the person Hux enjoyed talking to most; however, it was obvious that she was distracted from their game this time and not giving it her full attention. Hux frowned.

“Is everything alright?”

Jess looked at him and sighed; sitting back on the couch and running a hand through her hair.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’d hoped to get a lot more game under our belts before I had to tell you this...”

It was although the blood in Hux’s veins turned to ice. He’d seen that look on Jessika’s face before; heard that tone in her voice – half apologetic, half pity.

“Oh,” he murmured. “He’s back, isn’t he?”

“Not yet,” Jess replied, softly. “Before I went on leave, there was a communiqué sent around saying that he’d be visiting within the month. I know he never gives you a heads-up before dropping in and it causes you a lot of stress, so...”

“Yes,” Hux said; his voice almost a whisper. “Thank you.”

It wasn’t Jessika’s fault that she was the bearer of bad news. In fact, Hux really did appreciate her seeking him out to tell him.

Hux’s father – Commandant Brendol Hux – saw his son once a year and never actually announced his intentions to pay a visit. It had often taken him completely by surprise and left him shaken when his father left again, having been bombarded by his father’s verbal abuse.

It wasn’t as though Hux didn’t love his father. Rather to the point, the fact that Hux _did_ love him was partly responsible for the way he was with others. Brendol Hux had nothing but vitriol for his only son and constantly reminded Hux of his failures and pitfalls. Everything Hux had done in his life had been to make his father proud, and he had spectacularly failed to do that.

If he was honest, Brendol Hux was the reason from which his son’s attachment issues stemmed – Hux was sure his father had always blamed him for the death of his mother and never forgiven him for it. Hux had never had a ‘normal’ childhood; treated almost from birth as one of Brendol’s cadets, Hux had been berated and belittled his whole life; nothing he did had ever been good enough. At some point he’d just accepted it and stopped trying to gain affection or approval from others. He just took it for granted that he’d be a monumental disappointment.

Brendol Hux’s visits always sent Hux’s anxiety through the roof, even with Jessika’s prior warnings these past few years. Somehow, it was never enough time to prepare himself for the bombardment even if it did reduce the time he spent afterwards trying to recover from it.

“You know we’re here for you, don’t you?” Jess murmured, reaching over to give Hux’s wrist a brief squeeze.

He nodded, managing a small smile.

“I know. Thank you.”

“You also know, you can always just tell him to stop.”

Hux gave her a solitary, bitter laugh. If only it was that simple. Around Brendol Hux, he just seemed to fall to pieces and besides – the man was still his father and Hux did still love him. There was always, somehow, the vain hope that one day his father might be proud.

 

****

 

His flatmate’s mood had been perfectly rotten over the last few days and Ben was sick and tired of it. Hux had done nothing but snap at him over the smallest things that Ben had been about to deal with in the first place. First it had been about the plates he’d left in the sink for less than an hour; then it had been about the glass he’d forgotten to place on a coaster. Ben was so tired of being groused at that he’d started doing things on purpose again.

He knew it was petty, but if Hux was going to complain at him it might as well be for something Ben had actually done. Part of Ben actually got a kind of kick out of purposeless pissing him off and seeing the muscle in Hux’s jaw twitch – it was reassuring to know what he could get some kind of reaction out of Hux and honestly, Ben would rather be yelled at than ignored.

Green eyes glared at him as Ben lounged on the couch, playing Halo or Bioshock at a volume slightly louder than necessary; or if he covered the coffee table with his mess of papers and books. The rolling waves of distain he felt from Hux were more than satisfactory.

“What in the hell is wrong with you?”

Ben looked up from his papers as Hux appeared in the kitchen doorway; sleeves rolled up to his elbows; tie loosened and top shirt buttons undone; brandishing the energy bill. Ben couldn’t help but grin.

“I’m actually quite proud of that one,” he replied. “It’s probably the most anatomically correct dick I’ve ever drawn.”

Hux stared at him in disbelief.

“You’re a nightmare,” he muttered.

Ben’s grin disappeared.

“Well, you’re not exactly easy to be around either,” Ben retaliated. “It’s a doodle on an energy bill – I don’t see your problem.”

“My problem,” Hux hissed, “is the fact that you repeatedly destroy and deface things for the fun of it! It’s like you have no regard for order or...”

“You need to lighten up,” Ben growled, feeling his blood quickly starting to boil as he stood up; abandoning his book on the coffee table. “Maybe pull that stick you have jammed up your butt and realise that a doodle isn’t the end of the world!”

Hux slammed down the energy bill on the kitchen counter and stepped into the living room, towards him.

“You are the most juvenile man I have ever met!”

“Oh, kiss my ass!” Ben exclaimed. “No...you know what? Don’t just kiss it – you can eat my whole, entire ass!”

Hux stared at him, eyes narrowed; not saying a word. Ben could almost see the cogs ticking inside his brain and for a second, Ben was proud that he’d rendered Hux speechless and without any kind of comeback. That was until Hux reached out – lightning fast – and gave Ben a hard shove, pushing him backwards and onto the couch again.

Ben barely had time to register surprise before Hux was on his knees between Ben’s legs; fingertips hooking into the waistband of Ben’s sweatpants and giving them a sharp yank down over his hips.

This was the way it was, Ben supposed – they fought and they fucked, and that was that. He tilted his hips upwards as Hux dragged the sweatpants down and over his ass with his underwear; he was already half-hard with the anticipation, and he could really go for a blow job right now anyway. Biting his lower lip, Ben leaned back on the couch and spread his legs to accommodate Hux’s body as his pants were dragged free of one leg. Hux hooked both arms around and over the top of Ben’s thighs, green eyes staring at him challengingly.

Ben, anticipating a nice, hot, wet mouth to envelop his cock, was in no way expecting to be dragged forwards to the edge of the couch; his knees pushed up towards his chest by two strong hands on his thighs; ass suddenly spread apart and that nice, hot, wet mouth delving into the space between.

“OH! HO...LY...FUCK...!”

Ben’s fingers scrabbled for purchase on the soft chenille of the couch as Hux’s tongue laved over him, confidently; rough and wet against his sensitive skin. It was unexpected and incredible, leaving Ben panting breathlessly as Hux licked long, wet stripes between his ass cheeks.

“I didn’t think you’d take that literally...” Ben huffed.

“Hmmmm...” Hux responded with indifference.

Ben could barely think straight, flat on his back with Hux eating him out expertly. That talented tongue laved over and around, getting Ben wet and dripping before dipping inside; just the tip, pushing inside the tight muscle and making Ben yell with pleasure before it retreated.

“Fuck...fuck, that’s fucking incredible...” Ben moaned.

His hands found their way between his knees and into the hard shell of Hux’s hair, digging in and breaking through; fingers twisting into the strawberry-blond lengths as Hux’s tongue pushed into him again; deeper this time.

Ben moaned loudly again, tilting his hips up involuntarily and earning an angry growl from Hux.

“Keep your hips still, or I’ll stop.”

A whimper of protest left Ben’s throat as Hux’s teeth sharply nipped his left buttock before his mouth got back to work.

“Fuck, please don’t...please don’t stop...”

Ben didn’t even have the mental capability to hate himself for begging. It felt so good; Hux pulling Ben towards him; nose pressing against Ben’s perineum as he sucked and licked; tongue delving deeper and deeper until Ben was being fucked with it, practically screaming in pleasure.

He almost cried when it withdrew; cool air rushing in to where that warm tongue had been seconds before and making goosebumps rise on his skin.

“Sh...shit, no. Don’t stop...”

Ben yelped as Hux bit the inside of his thigh and sucked hard.

“Fuck...bastard...”

“You say the sweetest things...” Hux muttered; voice gravelly and sending shivers down Ben’s spine.

“I hate you,” Ben panted as Hux continued to suck marks along the back of his thighs; thumbs gently teasing the space between Ben’s ass cheeks.

“I know.”

Ben cried out again as Hux spread him wide once more and delved into the space between; tongue immediately plunging deep.

“FUCK! How the hell are you so good at this?” Ben gasped.

Hux only groaned softly and pulled Ben further towards him; burying his face deeper in Ben’s ass as Ben’s fingers twisted savagely into Hux’s hair. Ben had never been eaten out like this in his life – Hux’s tongue, the most talented and enthusiastic that he’d ever experienced. Ben’s cock was leaking; dripping pearls of clear pre-come onto his stomach and the edge of the t-shirt that had been pushed up under his arms. He was in heaven.

Hux brought him to the edge repeatedly; tongue-fucking him with vigour before suddenly retreating to nip and suck at the insides of Ben’s thighs instead; leaving the tight coil of heat inside Ben’s belly and thighs to melt again before Hux renewed his efforts. Hux’s hair was a mess – fluffy and sticking up at all angles; those green eyes gently closed as he continued to eat Ben out like a damn pro.

Ben’s thighs were shaking; moans spilling unchecked from his mouth as his head thrashed back and forth on the couch cushion. Hux sucked and licked at him; tongue delving inside of him again and again; letting out a soft, appreciative moan every time Ben yanked at his hair in pleasure. Before long, Ben felt the pressure of impending orgasm build up in him again.

“Oh fuck, I wanna come,” he gasped; fingernails dragging hard along Hux’s scalp. “Please, let me come...”

“Mmmm...” Hux murmured; tongue working faster.

Ben didn’t know if it was because he asked nicely, but Hux didn’t slow down as Ben’s thighs began to tense again; fingers tightening in Hux’s hair as the white heat in his belly tightened and condensed, making his toes go numb as it suddenly broke and the heat flooded through him. Ben cried out, wordlessly; come covering his stomach and t-shirt in hot, white streaks while his body shook and trembled with intense pleasure.

His vision went white at the edges and Ben fought to breathe for a second as he watched Hux’s green eyes finally flutter open. His face was flushed pink; his chin, dripping wet; green eyes almost taken over by blown pupils as he stood, drawing an arm across his mouth to wipe off the sticky saliva. Hux looked down at him, breathing almost as hard as Ben.

“I hope that satisfied you,” Hux murmured; giving Ben one last look over before turning on his heel and leaving the living room.

Ben stared at Hux’s retreating figure; still on his back with his knees on his chest, covered in his own semen and his pants hanging from one foot.

He had just been well and truly owned.

 

****

 

It was lovely having all the girls together like this.

Finn and Poe had wanted a quiet and romantic night in together for some time, so Jess and Rey took the opportunity to abandon the top floor and invade Phasma’s flat; bringing along nibbles and pre-mixed cocktails. Jessika was only ever back for two weeks at a time, so they had to make the most of her being at home.

“I have bad news,” Jess announced gravely as Phasma placed a full cocktail glass in front of her.

“Oh?” the tall blonde enquired.

“Hux’s dad will be visiting inside the month.”

Phasma’s face fell.

“Oh, fuck.”

Rey glanced up from her margarita and blinked at them both.

“I take it this isn’t good, right?”

Jess and Phasma looked at each other.

“No,” Phasma confirmed. “It’s not good.”

“But we’ll get him through it,” added Jess. “It’s always better when he gets a heads-up, which is why I keep a check on everything Hux-related when I’m on base.”

“He’s just usually in a rotten mood for a while, so tread lightly,” Phasma suggested.

Rey nodded and reached for a handful of sweets, popping them into her mouth, one by one and munching happily.

“So, Rey,” Jess said, changing the subject with a smile. “Did I see an exam paper on my coffee table the other day?”

Rey grimaced.

“Don’t tell Poe,” she replied. “I got bored, so I took one of those blank papers from his bag.”

“Aerospace engineering exam papers?” Phasma asked; fair eyebrows gracefully arched.

“I just like the equations,” Rey replied, apologetically. “It’s like a really good sort of puzzle...”

She trailed off as a loud shout was heard from the flat next door, followed by a deep, drawn-out moan that could only come from Ben Solo. Rey’s eyes went wide.

“What the fuck?”

“They’re at it again,” murmured Phasma. “Have you met our newest neighbour yet, Jess?”

“No, but he sounds like fun,” Jessika replied, trying to hold back a giggle as yet another loud moan was heard from the flat next door.

Rey frowned.

“What do you mean, ‘at it again’?”

“Oh, this is at least the third time,” Phasma told her. “Possibly even the fourth, I’m not sure.”

“Hux went for a round three with the same person?” Jess exclaimed; impressed. “Damn...Ben must be good.”

Phasma snorted with laughter.

“They’re making it very complicated,” she replied.

Next door, Ben cursed loudly again and Rey stood up, draining her margarita.

“Okay, I am both far too sober and far too asexual to listen to this shit. Can we go out for dinner?”

“Gladly!” Phasma agreed.

“Yes,” confirmed Jess. “Let’s leave the boys to their wild, rampant sex.”

Giggling, the girls grabbed their shoes and coats; happily leaving their male neighbours to their own devices for the night.

 

****

 

Ben had very much been looking forward to the weekend. It wasn’t all that often that something academically exciting happened in the life of a History PhD, but every once in a while an academic journal was released that contained something relevant to Ben’s area of expertise. He’d almost ripped the magazine stand down when he’d seen the article mentioned on the front cover referencing Anakin Skywalker – journal articles were good referencing material in writing any essay, so he snapped the journal up quickly, paid for it, and walked out of the bookstore.

If Ben had remembered to bring a notepad and paper with him, he would have begun reading it on the train but, circumstances being as they were, he had to wait until he was back home before he could make any notes. It was agony, but he refrained from opening the journal until he got home.

Hux had been spending a lot of his Saturdays at work recently and this was possibly his first weekend free in over a month. Ben was glad that Hux wasn’t in the flat when he returned – he was probably at the training hall with Phasma, boxing out whatever the hell had been bothering him recently.

Since leaving Ben sticky, dazed, and without pants on the couch earlier that week, Hux’s behaviour had been increasingly more uncharacteristic. The flat was absolutely immaculate, with Hux having spent every evening for the past few days scrubbing everything. The carpets and the couch had all been deep-cleaned and the entire flat smelled strongly of bleach where Hux has scrubbed clean every available surface.

While the flat was pristine, Hux’s person was much less so. Normally incredibly well-groomed Civil Servant was quite dishevelled; his hair not in its usual slicked-back style for work and messy like he’d been tugging at it in frustration; tie and shirt buttons not quite done up correctly; and at least three days’ worth of stubble growth for a man who shaved every single day. Ben could have been concerned if Hux wasn’t such a goddamned asshole.

Diving onto the couch, Ben eagerly pulled the protective plastic wrap from the academic journal and immediately turned to the article he’d been so excited about. Less than a paragraph in, Ben’s blood ran cold. The words were familiar to him – so familiar that it was almost as though he’d written them himself. Ben _had_ written them himself. The article he was reading was his own essay – one he’d left in the possession of Professor Snoke after being told that it was unfit to be seen.

Ben felt numb and confused, running through every scenario he could possibly think of as to how his essay had found its way into a recognised academic journal without his name on it – that somebody had stolen it from Snoke’s office and submitted it; that Snoke had emailed him to say that he was submitting Ben’s essay and the email had been lost, or that Ben just didn’t remember having the discussion...

As much as he wished those scenarios to be true, deep down Ben knew the truth – Snoke had stolen his work. Fighting back tears of frustration and betrayal, Ben pulled his phone from his pocket and called the only person in the world he thought could help him.

“Mom?”

“Ben!”

His mother’s voice was instantly soothing to hear; low and authoritative and calm.

“Something’s happened and I...I don’t know what to do about it...”

“What is it?” Leia Organa replied, her voice instantly filled with concern. “Do you need me to come over? I can cancel my next meeting...”

“No...no mom, I’m...I’m okay it’s just...”

“Ben, what’s happened?”

He could still scarcely believe it had happened; that it was true. He felt childish and almost stupid as he told her.

“Snoke stole my work,” he said, his voice cracking in disbelief.

Fighting back tears, Ben told her the whole story – about Snoke asking him to change and add things to his essay; about his flatmate who had generously supplied him with information not on public record; how Snoke had read the revised work and deemed it so far from the original that it was unusable; about how he’d spent the last few weeks starting new research from scratch only to open up this journal, hoping to find an article that would help him and finding his own work instead, with somebody else’s name attached to it.

Ben felt himself grow less upset and angrier as he wandered through the flat and talked. The name attached to the article wasn’t Snoke’s – he was too smart to make such a rookie mistake; of course he would have used a pseudonym. He would have taken the money and the credit for Ben’s research and left it practically impossible to trace it back to him.

Leia sounded enraged.

“Tomorrow, I want you to come over – bring this article, bring your original research, and we’ll see what we can do about it.”

“Okay,” Ben replied.

He was digging his nails into his palm to try and keep himself sounding level, even as he felt his blood was boiling.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come over?”

“It’s okay, mom,” Ben reassured her, “I’m fine.”

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Ben ended the call and threw his phone onto his bed before clenching his hands into fists at his sides. He had lied – he wasn’t alright at all. Ben was furious.

 

****

 

Hux was never sure if he preferred to know about his father’s impending visits beforehand or not. Either way, he was a mess – constantly thinking about how much his father clearly hated him and everything about him; about how he would sit there for hours during Brendol Hux’s visit and be silent while he was berated and his entire being torn to pieces. It probably wouldn’t happen for another few weeks, but Hux had still cleaned the flat thoroughly at least twice in the past week. He felt as though he was slipping; like the calm, calculated, and controlled version of himself was being peeled away to reveal his true self. Hux hated it so much.

Nobody at work commented on his slightly dishevelled state – of his tie that wasn’t quite in its regular, tidy Windsor knot, or the fact that he’d forgotten to put product in his hair or shave for the past three days. It was entirely possible that nobody had noticed, but every so often Hux caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror and blanched. The sooner his father’s visit was over and done with, the better.

He felt almost exhausted as he opened the front door to the flat; tired from boxing with Phasma and in desperate need for a shower. A noise from Ben’s bedroom, like a book falling to the floor, made Hux sigh as he passed and headed into the living room; his eyes falling to a clear plastic wrapping on the couch and a magazine that had been unceremoniously thrown into the coffee table. Hux picked it up automatically with the intention of tidying it away when some words on the open page caught his eye; somehow familiar. He scanned the page and then looked at the name under the article; frowning.

It was Ben’s essay – the one Hux had read all those weeks ago and had sat up for half the night talking with him about it and giving him some of his old Academy papers to help with it. Ben had never mentioned getting it published; nor was the name underneath the title, his. Another crash from Ben’s room followed by a muted scream of rage helped Hux put all the puzzle pieces together in an instant and he immediately abandoned the journal, tossing it aside as he headed for Ben’s bedroom.

It was chaos inside; like a tornado had ripped through this one part of the flat and left everything else untouched. Bookcases had been torn down; lying haphazardly on the mountain of books that had fallen from their shelves and become trapped underneath. Clothes were everywhere; some ripped to shreds and some still in their original state; and Ben’s papers and photocopies were torn or balled up. Ben himself looked like a wild animal; dark eyes filled with an inhuman kind of rage as he stood in the only part of the room that had no debris on the ground; shoulders heaving with exertion as he looked around for something else to break.

Somehow, Hux knew what to do; just as he had known the previous week when he’d come home to Ben with a bottle of vodka and a bottle of painkillers – he needed to neutralise the situation to stop Ben from harming himself; but the gentle approach he’d used previously would not be enough this time. Stepping across the mess in the doorway, Hux reached for Ben; grabbing him by the arms and pushing him hard against the wall. Ben’s wild eyes didn’t recognise him and he struggled.

“Stop,” Hux said, firmly.

Ben stilled, blinking at him.

“Stop this,” Hux continued; his voice quieter than before. “What is wrong with you? Tearing everything apart - look at the state of you, you’re a fucking mess.”

Ben looked at him, eyes searching Hux’s face. He was still tense under Hux’s hands, but no longer struggling; his eyes not half as wild as before.

“How do I get you to stop this?” murmured Hux as he watched Ben closely. “How do we calm you down? I could keep you pinned up against this wall all night if you like, but my arms will get tired eventually.”

Ben swallowed visibly but said nothing. He didn’t even move.

“He stole your work, didn’t he?” Hux said.

He felt Ben shudder under his hands with a sharp intake of breath. Very slowly, he nodded.

“I understand,” murmured Hux. “I understand why you’re angry, but I can’t have you tearing this place apart. I can see we’re going to have to do something to use up all that energy you have.”

Ben swallowed again and Hux felt some of the tension start to ease away. As he’d been talking Ben had returned, bit by bit; his breathing no longer ragged and harsh. Ben was listening; he knew who Hux was again.

“What do you need?” Hux asked, his voice almost a whisper.

Ben looked at him with intense, dark eyes. Now that the rage was leaving him, he looked almost frightened; his body pulling away from the wall slightly and into Hux.

“What do you need?”

“Fuck me...” Ben replied, brokenly. “I need you to fuck me.”

Surprised, Hux stared at him. This was not the Ben he was used to – full of quips and sass. This Ben was falling apart; practically begging Hux to put him back together again.

“Is that really what you want?” he murmured.

Ben nodded, slowly. Hux continued to watch him as he released his grip on Ben’s arms and slowly slid his hands down towards Ben’s wrists. He could hear Ben’s breathing change again; fast and shallow as his doe eyes glanced down.

“Do you want me to pin you down on the bed and fuck you till you can no longer move? Until all that energy is used up?”

Ben nodded again, breathless; wordless. Hux leaned in, pressing his body against Ben’s and noticing the way his breath hitched.

“That’s not enough,” Hux told him. “You need to say it. You need to tell me if you want me to fuck you so hard and for so long, you forget your own name. I won’t do it until I know that’s exactly what you want.”

“Yes,” Ben croaked, finally finding a voice. “I want that. I want all of that.”

That was good enough for Hux. In a single, swift movement he lifted Ben’s arms and pinned them by his head by the wrists; slowly leaning forward to press his lips against the hollow of Ben’s throat. Satisfied by the soft, needy moan the action elicited, Hux released Ben’s wrists and buried his hands in that thick, black hair; his knee sliding between Ben’s legs and easing them apart as he ran his open mouth wetly along the line of Ben’s exposed neck.

He had no idea how much he’d needed this – to have control over something where his life felt like it was falling apart. Ben seemed to melt under him; soft sighs and whimpers as Hux slowly kissed, licked and softly sucked at the sensitive skin of his neck, punctuating it with gentle nips; moving Ben’s head from side to side with his fingers buried in his curls. Hux was in no hurry; taking his time to explore – he’d never taken the opportunity before to find out what made Ben tick.

Clothes were lost as Hux dragged Ben towards the bed, carefully; all mess shoved unceremoniously to the ground as he pushed Ben down upon it and continued his exploration. Ben’s ears were sensitive – he gasped sharply and moaned as Hux sucked delicately at a lobe; thighs widening to allow Hux to settle between them; fingernails scraping along the back of Hux’s neck as Ben pulled him down. Hux spent a lot of time on those ears, sucking the lobe into his mouth gently before rolling it between his teeth; biting down just hard enough to elicit another moan before letting go again. Ben’s cock was rock hard before Hux even made it to another body part.

“Fuck...fuck...fuck...” Ben whispered, over and over as his ankles hooked around the back of Hux’s knees and his fingers twisted into strawberry blond hair; pulling Hux closer.

Hux worked him over thoroughly; fingernails scratching across Ben’s chest as he left a wet trail of open-mouthed kisses over his skin; stopping to tug at erect nipples with his teeth. He loved Ben’s body – loved its firmness and how responsive it was to his touch; how sweet that single drop of precome was when Hux lowered his head and ran the flat of his tongue over the head of Ben’s cock. He loved the sharp gasps and deep groans and the way Ben tugged at his hair; loved how passive Ben was as he let Hux move him whichever way he wanted. It was intoxicating.

Ben’s body opened up perfectly for him as Hux slid a single finger inside him; the slick digit easily sliding past the tight muscle. Ben gasped, hips tilting up and pushing his cock into Hux’s receptive mouth. It was thick and heavy against his tongue and Hux groaned around it as it filled his mouth.

“Oh fuck...oh shit, that’s so good...” Ben breathed.

One long leg was draped gracefully over Hux’s shoulder as he settled between them; slowly teasing Ben with his fingers as his mouth sucked, slowly and softly. Ben was panting; his hands tugging and pulling and twisting at Hux’s hair as Hux mercilessly worked him open; adding another finger; sucking harder as he crooked them gently and sent Ben into high-pitched, moaning spasm as he pressed against his prostate again and again. Ben came with a choked cry; his come hot and bitter salt against Hux’s tongue. Hux swallowed every drop with a series of small, appreciative moans; enjoying the taste and the feel of it.

Ben was still panting when Hux slid back up his body, pulling Ben’s face towards him by his chin and kissing him. Ben groaned; his tongue pressing against Hux’s as his long legs wrapped around Hux’s narrow waist.

“Fuck, me please...” Ben begged, breathlessly between kisses.

“Can you take more?”

“Yes...please...please...”

Hux couldn’t resist him; pulling back just long enough to slick himself up before he was back between Ben’s legs, pushing them up by his thighs as Ben’s fingers scrabbled for purchase against Hux’s skin; his breathing, erratic.

It was heaven, pushing into Ben’s body; a tight, sweet warmth that opened up just for him; surrounding and enveloping his cock. Ben’s mouth searched for his as his fingers tangled in Hux’s hair again; long legs wrapped around Hux’s back as Hux slid slowly into him. Hux gave himself over to the kiss – slow and messy; his hands releasing their grip on Ben’s thighs to run through dark hair instead.

“Look at me,” Hux murmured.

Ben’s dark eyes immediately snapped open as Hux’s teeth sank into his lower lip and gently tugged. Hux smiled.

“Good,” he whispered, kissing Ben again. “You’re so good...”

Ben moaned in response as Hux began to move. He was in no hurry; green eyes locked onto dark brown as he fucked Ben slow and deep; Ben’s ankles crossed over Hux’s back as Hux turned his attention to Ben’s neck again. Ben was so tight; his heat blissful; sounds spilling freely from his mouth as he tried to grind down onto Hux’s cock.

“More...please...”

“More what?” Hux asked, softly. “More speed? More depth?”

“Both...” Ben moaned. “Fuck me harder...fuck me deeper...”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, goddamn it! Fuck me!”

Hux smiled against the delicate skin of Ben’s throat. Ben was coming back to himself; getting mouthy again. Hux was only happy to oblige.

Sitting back, he hooked Ben’s knees up over his shoulders and pressed forward again.

“FUCK! OH...SHIT....”

Ben’s head fell back against the pillow; mouth open; body bent almost double and hips raised off the mattress as Hux fucked him hard and fast, just like Ben had asked. Over and over, Hux drove into him; hitting Ben’s prostate repeatedly until Ben came with a strained yell, shuddering as his chest was painted with hot, white streaks.

“More?” Hux asked, breathlessly as Ben lay panting and hazy-eyed under him.

“Yes...”

Ben’s nails dug into the back of Hux’s thighs, biting into smooth, pale skin as Hux continued to fuck him; his pace never slowing for a second. With two orgasms under his belt, it wasn’t long till there was a third; more semen painting Ben’s chest as he struggled for breath.

He looked gorgeous – skin flushed pink and dewy with fresh perspiration; eyes wide and almost black as he stared up at Hux, panting heavily. Stilling his hips, Hux brushed damp black curls back from Ben’s forehead.

“More?”

Ben whimpered softly. He had to be sensitive by now and Hux could feel Ben’s body trembling beneath him.

“One more...”

“One more,” Hux repeated.

He kissed Ben softly; slowly; giving him a single minute before he started moving again. Ben was coming to the end of his limit; almost boneless underneath him as Hux fucked him hard again; emitting soft whimpers into Hux’s mouth; staring into his eyes.

“One more, Ben...” Hux murmured against his lips.

Ben’s thighs were shaking; tears forming at the corners of his eyes as he panted harshly. Hux wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs and kissed Ben again. Seconds later, Ben gave him a fourth; body tensing as he gasped; fingers tightening once more in Hux’s hair as he shuddered through his final orgasm. Hux held him through it; stroking Ben’s hair as he resisted the way Ben clenched around him; resisted the urge to come inside of him; to come at all. This one wasn’t about him – right from the start, it never had been.

Ben panted and whimpered as Hux pulled back from him.

“Shhh...” he whispered soothingly. “Well done...”

Hux stroked Ben’s hair again as Ben’s body was racked with aftershocks; brown eyes gazing blurrily at Hux before finally closing in exhaustion as Ben passed out.

Hux watched him for a moment; watched as Ben’s breathing returned to normal and his body ceased it’s shaking. Hux sighed heavily and sat up, running his hands through his own sweat-soaked hair and finally taking notice of his own body. He’d been so focussed on Ben and Ben’s needs that he’d forgotten he was near exhaustion himself. Hux’s muscles screamed at him in protest of recent rigorous activity; his skin turning to gooseflesh as sweat dried on his body.

He dragged himself up and quickly found his underwear, pulling them on before walking as fast as he could manage to the bathroom where he soaked a flannel in warm water and retrieved a towel. Returning to Ben’s room, he did his best to clean Ben’s skin of the lubricating jelly and semen that covered him; drying him off with the clean towel before tossing both into the corner of the room. Finally, he pulled the rumpled covers from the floor and draped them over Ben’s naked body; tucking them around his broad shoulders.

Ben looked so peaceful when he was asleep – a far cry from the half-wild animal Hux had come home to an hour earlier. Looking at him, fast asleep and beautiful, Hux admitted to himself something he’d tried so hard to deny over the last few weeks – he cared about Ben. He cared very much; more than he should for somebody he barely knew. Ben was under his skin somehow and Hux didn’t know how to deal with the overwhelming sense of affection that flooded him when he looked at Ben’s sleeping form.

It was going to take him a while to process this, he knew – perhaps a few weeks to get his head around it all; to figure out what it meant and where they stood in relation to each other. The one thing he was sure of as he closed Ben’s door quietly and headed towards the shower with his clothes in hand, was that this was no longer only about sex.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of things:
> 
> 1) I know it takes longer to submit things to academic journals, but for the sake of a story, I don't care.  
> 2) It is half term school holidays and I (rocksaltandroll) have a smol to take care of. Therefore, writing will not take place for the next chapter until the arse end of next week.  
> 3) So many thanks to Cabloom for putting up with me!


	7. Chapter 7

Ben felt surprisingly calm as his eyelids fluttered open; his eyes slowly focussing on the shaft of sunlight filtering through his half-open curtains and making patterns on the blue wall of his bedroom. He became aware of the dull ache all over his body before anything else – his thighs and stomach muscles and shoulders all tense and throbbing slightly as he shifted in the bed and remembered how they got that way.

His memory of the day before had many holes – Ben remembered picking up the academic journal at the University book store; he remembered reading his article in it and knew that Snoke had stolen it. Ben remembered calling his mother and her request that he come for lunch with all his research so that they could figure out their next step, but everything after that was a complete blank...until Hux.

Sitting up slowly, Ben looked around his bedroom and flinched. In his rage, he had trashed it completely – bookshelves were torn down and papers were ripped; the only thing left undamaged was his laptop and Ben was incredibly thankful for that. Sighing, Ben ran his hands through his hair and looked down at his legs, realising for the first time that he was covered with his blankets even though he was pretty sure he’d passed out the night before without them. As Ben knew he’d slept through the rest of the afternoon and all through the night, he concluded that Hux must have covered him up before leaving.

Ben could hear the sound of the kettle in the kitchen and the faint clink of china, signalling that Hux was up and about. Ben sat for a moment, wondering if he could face his flatmate after the night before. In the end, it was the rumble of his completely empty stomach that drove him out of the bed; throwing on whatever clothes he could find in the mess of his room. Ben couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten anything and all the physical activity and stress had done a number on his body.

Hux was still in the kitchen by the time Ben had made it through the flat. Ben’s flatmate looked nothing like his usual self – red hair a mess and sticking up haphazardly; at least 4 days worth of strawberry stubble on his face; dark circles under his sea-green eyes. Hux barely blinked at him as he looked up from his tea and toast, but Ben managed a weak smile.

“Morning,” he murmured.

For a moment, he thought Hux was going to blank him again, but then he caught the gentle incline of Hux’s head in an almost imperceptible nod.

“Good morning,” his flatmate replied before turning back to his toast.

Ben noticed that Hux didn’t even have his newspaper – he was just staring at the counter.

He moved around Hux, his muscles still aching when he stretched past to get to the toaster and the kettle. Neither of them spoke for a while – the awkwardness hanging in the air between them as they went about their breakfast until Ben had to say something.

“Hux?” he ventured, the name sticking in his throat slightly as the redhead looked up from the kitchen counter. “I...uh...about last night – I just wanted to say than...”

“Don’t mention it,” Hux replied, softly; cutting Ben off before he could finish. “Really, don’t mention it.”

Ben looked at him and frowned slightly. For the first time in a week, he was starting to realise that something was not quite right with his flatmate. Not that Hux would ever tell him anything – they might have been having a lot of pretty intense sex lately, but that was the extent of their relationship. A stab of sadness ran through him as he looked at his flatmate who was doing his best to avoid Ben’s eyes – this was probably Ben’s fault; this cycle they’d started and found so hard to break was finally getting to Hux and Ben was too weak to stop it.

“Okay,” Ben replied after a moment.

The relief that crossed Hux’s face for a split second was evident. Ben didn’t really even know how to say ‘thank you for calming me down and giving me four orgasms in a row’ anyway. Turning back to his toast, Ben cleared his throat.

“I’m going to be out for most of the day,” he said. “My parents are going to help me figure out how to deal with this journal article crap.”

“Alright,” Hux replied; his voice quiet. “Good luck.”

“Thank you.”

Hux nodded as he dusted his plate of crumbs, rinsed it under the warm tap, and put it to dry on the drainer. He said nothing more as he walked out of the kitchen without a backwards glance, leaving Ben alone with his coffee and toast. As he put the kettle of for a second cup and put more toast in the toaster, Ben heard a knock on the front door before Rey bounded in; her radiant smile cheering Ben up almost instantly as she appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“Hallo!” she breezed, cheerfully.

“Hello to you too,” Ben replied; grinning. “What are you doing here so early?”

Rey frowned.

“It’s not that early,” she said, glancing at the kitchen clock. “I just wanted to see what you were up to today.”

“Uh...” Ben began, scratching the back of his neck. “Actually, I’m going to my parents’ house – something pretty awful happened yesterday and they’re going to help me figure out how to handle it.”

Rey’s face fell.

“Oh shit, what happened?”

“My thesis advisor stole an essay of mine after telling me it was unusable, and then he sold it to an academic journal and took credit for my work.”

Ben was actually surprised to find that he was no longer angry about any of it as he told Rey. Yes, he was still affected by the fact that his work had been stolen, but the rage that had filled him yesterday was gone. Now, he just felt calmly annoyed.

“Fuck!” Rey exclaimed. “What a nob!”

Ben laughed.

“Yeah, that’s one way to describe him.”

“Shit, Ben...I’m so sorry about that.”

“It’s okay,” he replied. “It’ll work out somehow – my mother is...tenacious.”

Rey smiled.

“Good. Oh well,” she sighed. “I had been going to suggest a day of Halo and chocolate, but getting this sorted out is a lot more important.”

Ben smiled at her. Rey was honestly the best friend he’d had for a long time – this teenage girl who took no crap and never sugar-coated anything she said. She was kind-hearted and fun to be around. His parents would love her.

“Hey,” he said, suddenly struck by an idea. “If you’re not planning on doing anything else, you can always come with me.”

Rey’s eyebrows arched in surprise.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude...”

“Don’t be silly,” he reassured her. “My mom makes the best Sunday roast and there’s always plenty.”

Rey hesitated.

“I won’t be a bother?”

“Of course not,” Ben insisted. “My folks will think you’re great. There’s also a dog.”

“A dog?” Rey repeated, her face lighting up.

“A very big, very hairy, very affectionate wolfhound,” Ben confirmed.

“Well, in that case I’m in.”

 

****

 

Hux slid his carefully wrapped hands into a pair of boxing gloves and turned to face Phasma who was still looking him over, doubtfully.

“I still maintain that boxing is not a good idea today,” she said, giving the boxing pads a nudge with her foot. “You look exhausted – you need sleep.”

“I can’t sleep,” Hux murmured.

Phasma sighed and Hux shrugged. He knew that his friend was concerned about him but there was nothing she could do. The time was ticking by too fast and soon his father would turn up at Hux’s door to give him his annual scorn and humiliation, and there was nothing Hux could do to stop it. Sometimes he wondered if he would be better off not knowing so that he didn’t have to think about it, but then he thought back to the time before Jessika had started giving Hux notice, and it had actually been worse. It was rough in the time leading up to his father’s visit, but at least Hux was less of a wreck during and after them. Hux could cope with losing a bit of sleep if that was the alternative.

“It looks like you forgot how to shave too,” Phasma countered, lightly.

Hux absently touched the four-day stubble growth with his gloved hand.

“I know...I start getting ready in the morning and just get lost in thought. The next thing I know, I’m running late and don’t have the time.”

His friend’s blue eyes blinked, slowly.

“It’s actually a good look for you. Very ‘Conan’.”

Hux couldn’t help but give her a marginal smile.

“The Commandant wouldn’t approve,” he replied, dryly.

“Fuck the Commandant.”

“I’d rather not – he _is_ my father.”

“Glad to know your sense of humour is still hanging on by a thread,” Phasma chuckled, finally picking up the boxing pads. “Speaking of fucking – you _do_ know the walls in our building are thin, right?”

Hux immediately felt his face grow hot as his skin flushed pink.

“Apologies,” he muttered as he dropped into a stance and waited for Phasma to raise the boxing pads.

“I know it’s none of my business what you do,” she said softly. “But you two aren’t doing yourselves any favours with this hate sex.”

Hux stayed quiet as he jabbed lightly at the boxing pads, avoiding Phasma’s ice-blue gaze. He didn’t know why he tried to conceal anything from her – Phasma could see through him in seconds and always got the truth from him sooner or later.

“Is it still hate sex?” she pressed.

Hux sighed heavily. He’d lain awake for half of the night thinking about it, even though he’d thoroughly exhausted himself. He closed his eyes and all he saw was the image of Ben, asleep with dark, damp hair falling into his eyes; peaceful after his earlier rage. Hux had rushed to him without a second thought, only wanting to help his flatmate; to stop him from hurting himself; to calm him down.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, quietly.

Phasma’s fair eyebrows arched upwards in surprise.

“Oh?”

Hux continued to carefully avoid her eyes as he jabbed at the boxing pads again.

“I have...come to the conclusion that there’s something there. I don’t know what it is yet – I need some time to process it and to do that, I need a clear head so it’ll have to wait until my father’s visit is over. I feel...concerned for Ben’s wellbeing...a certain fondness at times, despite the fact that he drives me up the wall.”

“I see,” replied Phasma gently.

Hux dropped his fists, suddenly far too tired to carry on even though he’d been boxing for less than five minutes. Perhaps Phasma was right – he should try to sleep. Wearily, he took off his boxing gloves and began to unfasten his wraps.

“I’ll figure it out,” Hux murmured. “Just...not yet.”

Phasma nodded and said no more as she walked away with the boxing pads. It scared Hux a little to admit that he was developing feelings for somebody that were less than platonic. He’d never been through this before; never let anybody close enough, but somehow Ben Solo had wormed his way under Hux’s skin. It was terrifying, but admitting out loud to Phasma had somewhat helped. At least now he had her support.

 

****

 

Rey couldn’t remember being this excited since Finn had married Poe and she had found herself a home with everyone in the apartment building. She’d put on her best borrowed outfit of Jessika’s skinny jeans and a shiny purple fitted shirt that had possibly once belonged to Hux, and was positively bouncing next to Ben on the train. Nobody every invited Rey anywhere – at least, not to meet new people. She went for dinner with Finn and Poe; drinks with Jess and Phasma; played games and ate pizza with Ben, but Rey never had the chance to break out and meet people outside of her friendship group.

“Would you calm down?” Ben hissed as she almost fell off the train when they arrived at their station.

“I’m sorry,” Rey replied, nursing a stinging elbow that she’d caught of the doors. “I just can’t believe your mother is Senator Leia Organa! I can’t even explain how exciting that is!”

Leia Organa was a political superstar – the daughter of a former Senator, she had been active from her teenage years in the days of the old Empire that had ended thirty years ago. She had led rallies; been imprisoned; ran an underground rebel network; and been a key player in restoring democracy and re-establishing the Senate. Rey had loved learning about her in school and she’d barely been able to contain her excitement when Ben had revealed that this woman was his mother.

Ben shook his head at her and smiled as they walked down a street with large houses and even larger gardens. It was tranquil and clean and beautiful, and Rey loved it all. Finally, he led her down a path to one of the houses and rang the bell. Rey nervously straightened her shirt and smoothed her hair as the door was pulled open to reveal a small woman in her mid fifties with Ben’s eyes and mouth; her greying hair twisted up into an elegant style. She raised a single, perfectly groomed eyebrow.

“Ben Solo – what time do you call this?”

“Uh...lunchtime?”

“You’re early, kid!” came a response from further down the corridor as Ben’s father came into view.

Also older than his pictures in the history books, Han Solo was still very evidently Ben’s father – the same nose and ears that were partially hidden under his grey hair. He had been a smuggler during the days of the Empire – an unlikely character, picked up and thrown in to a conflict he’d done his best to avoid until he’d been roped into helping Leia’s brother, Luke break her out of jail. He made a much more honest living these days, but he still had that roguish grin and a sparkle to his brown eyes.

“And who is this?” Leia asked, ushering them in and turning her attention to Rey.

Straightening up, Rey squared her shoulders and stuck out her hand in greeting.

“I’m Rey,” she replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Senator Organa.”

“Likewise,” Leia replied, her lips quirking up at the corners in amusement as she shook Rey’s hand. “Are you...Ben’s girlfriend?”

Surprised, Rey looked at Ben who seemed to be just as surprised at the question as she was. They both started laughing at exactly the same time.

“Hell no,” Ben replied, grinning.

“Absolutely not,” Rey agreed.

“Rey lives in my building,” Ben explained.

“Oh well, no matter,” replied Leia with a smirk. “You can have dinner anyway.”

Rey laughed, feeling a little more relaxed than before as Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulders and steered her inside.

“My parents are dorks,” he murmured. “But they’re decent people, really.”

“Are you kidding?” Rey hissed excitedly as she cast a glance over her shoulder at Ben’s parents. “Your folks are legendary!”

“Oh, Rey?” Han Solo called from behind her. “Just watch out for Chewie!”

Rey’s brow creased into a confused frown.

“Chewie?”

She didn’t even get a reply before a giant brown-black dog with shaggy fur bounced off the wal as it raced around the corner and charged for her with a loud, resonating bark. Rey couldn’t help but let put a scream as she was bowled over and knocked flat on her back as the excited wolfhound sniffled and sniffed about her face; tail hammering against the wall as it wagged.

“Chewbacca! Mind your manners around guests,” Leia said firmly.

Tail firmly between his legs, the wolfhound backed off and sat down guiltily; brown eyes looking apologetically at Rey. Her heart still beating too fast with the shock, Rey managed to sit up as Ben helped her up off the floor with a single heave.

“He’s a softie really. He just doesn’t know his own strength,” added Han, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoided Leia’s stern gaze.

“It’s okay,” Rey replied, dusting herself off. “Come here, Chewie!”

The wolfhound’s ears pricked as Rey patted her thigh; large, heavy tail immediately wagging again as he edged forward to receive a scratch behind his ears. Rey smiled – Chewbacca was almost as big as she was, and incredibly powerful, but once the initial shock of being knocked to the ground by a huge dog was over, it was evident that he was just very friendly and excited. She was used to small, roly poly dogs like BB-8, but she was very quickly warming to the gentle giant that was the Solo’s wolfhound.

“C’mere, you giant hairball!” said Ben, grinning as Chewie turned from Rey and launched himself at his tall, lanky human; knocking Ben back against the wall.

Rey laughed as man and dog toppled to the ground in a heap of long limbs and Leia Organa sighed with irritation as she stepped over them both and took Rey by the arm.

“Boys and their dogs,” she grumbled. “Anyway...Rey, my dear – let’s get you a cup of tea and then I want to hear all about you.”

Ten minutes later, Rey was sitting in the sunniest, most beautiful living room she’d ever seen with a cup of tea in one hand and a chocolate biscuit in the other; sitting next to Ben on a plush couch with Chewbacca lying over them both. She could still scarcely believe that the legendary Leia Organa was sitting opposite her, leaning forward in her chair and looking at Rey with interest; wanting to know all about her.

Rey tried to gloss over the early details of her life as she’d always believed that nobody wanted to hear a sob-story about an abandoned little girl growing up in care and never having enough to eat, but Leia Organa was not one of those people. Every time Rey tried to rush past a certain topic, Leia would stop her and bring her back to it, but it never felt like prying. Soon enough, she got onto the happier parts – of getting out on her own; of meeting Finn, and of Finn marrying Poe; of house sitting for Jessika, and all her wonderful friends in the building; of BB-8 and meeting Ben and...

“Oh, I almost forgot about Hux!”

Beside her on the couch, Ben stiffened.

“Yeah, well,” he muttered. “Less said about that one, the better.”

“Is this your roommate, Ben?” asked Han, looking up from the newspaper he’d only been pretending to read.

“Yeah...”

“He’s nice,” Rey insisted; giving Ben a pointed look. “He’s particular and quiet and doesn’t really divulge much, but he’s nice.”

She hadn’t actually spoken to Ben about what was going on with Hux – it wasn’t really her place to ask and it wasn’t as though Ben had been especially forthcoming with supplying information about it himself. Only Finn seemed genuinely concerned at this point, where everyone else was sure they’d get around to talking to each other about it sooner or later.

“Anyway,” Ben said, changing the subject. “Rey is a bit of a genius with machines and electronics.”

“Really?” replied Han, sitting up straight and throwing his newspaper to the side. “Are you a car person, Rey?”

She opened her mouth to speak but Ben interrupted with a groan.

“Dad, nobody is interested in looking at that piece of junk.”

“The Millennium Falcon is not junk!” Han replied, indignantly.

“You still have the Millennium Falcon?” Rey gasped, almost falling of the sofa with excitement.

Han gave Ben a look of smug satisfaction.

“Of course, I do! Didn’t think I’d get rid of that, did you?”

Rey almost squealed with delight – if Leia Organa had been the stuff of legend, then so had her husband. Before turning honest, Han Solo had been a smuggler; infamous and never once caught, the stories of him doing the Kessel run in that Millennium Falcon had survived the glossing over of his shady career past. Knowing that Han Solo still had the car from over thirty years ago, was incredible.

“You wanna see it?” Han asked, leaning forward in his chair with a conspiratorial grin.

“Can I?”

“Han, it’s almost time for lunch...”

“We’ll be ten minutes, Leia. I promise.”

Rey looked from Han to Leia with large, pleading eyes. After a moment, Leia broke into a warm smile.

“Oh go on then – it can’t hurt, I guess.”

This time, Rey couldn’t contain her squeal of delight as she jumped up, receiving a disgruntled bark from a dislodged Chewie as she threw her arms around Leia Organa’s neck and hugged her tightly.

“Thank you!” she whispered before turning and rushing to catch up with Han, who was already halfway out of the door.

Rey just couldn’t believe her luck.

 

****

 

Ben poured the boiling water from the pan into the sink, catching the carrots in the strainer and giving them a good shake. It was just like old times – helping his mother with the dinner just like he had since he was small. He quite enjoyed doing it if he was honest about it; the familiarity of the kitchen and everything it it; going through motions so well practiced over the years he could dothem all blindfolded.

“So...” his mother said; conversationally. “Rey is a lovely girl.”

Ben grinned.

“Yeah, she’s great. Never seen her move so fast as when dad asked her if she wanted to see the Falcon.”

Leia glanced up from slicing the roast; one eyebrow raised.

“But she’s not your girlfriend.”

“No,” Ben confirmed. “Despite the fact that she’s about ten years younger than me, it’s just...not like that. She’s possibly the best friend I’ve had in a long time though.”

Leia nodded and went back to carving.

“No girlfriend at all?”

Ben rolled his eyes. She went through this every so often – Ben was twenty-nine and his mother was starting to worry he’d never settle down.

“No. No girlfriend.”

“Boyfriend?”

Ben looked at his feet and said nothing.

“Ben?”

“Not...exactly,” he replied truthfully.

Leia set her knife down carefully and turned to look at him.

“How do you ‘not exactly’ have a boyfriend?”

“It’s complicated,” he replied; turning back to the vegetables.

He wished he’d just said no, because now his mother was looking at him with mild concern. Ben understood why – complications in relationships were never good news for his mental health.

“Complicated, how?” Leia asked gently.

Ben sighed and put down his pan, turning around to face his mother.

“I don’t know,” he murmured. “It’s like...he can be totally great, and I like being around him but then he can turn into a total asshole with zero warning. I could get whiplash, it changes to fast! One minute he’s hot and I feel like it could all work out and the next minute he’s freezing me out and I don’t know what to think.”

Leia frowned.

“Sounds like he’s somebody best avoided.”

“If only it was that easy,” Ben muttered.

His mother reached out and squeezed his arm, gently.

“Have you tried talking to him? Finding out the issue is?”

Ben bit his lip, guiltily. Everyone had told him to talk to Hux about their unconventional relationship – to clear the air and figure out why they kept going around in circles but he still hadn’t. At this stage, he didn’t even know how.

“Again, if only it was that easy.”

“How do you feel about him?” Leia asked.

“I don’t know,” Ben replied; honestly. “He’s addictive and I don’t want to give him up, but...I don’t want to keep going around in circles like this.”

Stepping forward, Leia wrapped her arms around Ben’s waist and hugged him tightly.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll figure something out.”

“Thanks, mom,” Ben murmured.

He had no idea what his mother could possibly do to help him with his Hux situation, but it was comforting to know that she wanted to try.

Five minutes later and he was helping an excited Rey to set the table while his father assisted in the kitchen. Rey was flushed and chattering excitedly about the Millennium Falcon – Ben couldn’t help but grin at her.

“Your dad is just...amazing!”

“Really? I always thought he was a giant nerd and a bit of a loser,” Ben replied with a smirk.

Rey looked outraged.

“How could you say that? You have literally the coolest dad on the planet!”

Ben shrugged.

“I dunno – we were always kind of a disappointment to each other. I never really cared about cars or any of his shady endeavours and he never understood my fascination with history and all the wars.”

Rey looked up from a place setting and grimaced.

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. We’ve learned to live with it. He’s my dad and that doesn’t change just because we have nothing in common.”

“Your mum is incredible, though,” Rey replied.

Ben smiled at her.

“Yeah, she’s a badass,” he agreed. “I...uh...sort of told her a little about Hux.”

Rey snorted.

“Wow. Your relationship with your mother must be amazing if you can tell her that you’ve been hatefucking your flatmate.”

Ben opened his mouth to reply, but a sudden voice from behind him made his blood turn cold.

“Ben Solo, you’re doing what?”

Slowly, he straightened and turned to find both his mother and his father standing in the doorway with matching expressions of disbelief. Sighing, he looked at Rey.

“I didn’t exactly mention that part.”

Rey clapped both hands over her mouth in horror.

“Oh fuck! Shit! I’m sorry!”

“Not your fault,” Ben muttered, trying to avoid his mother’s eye.

Leia Organa, folded her arms across her chest.

“So that’s what you meant when you said ‘complicated’?”

“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Ben insisted.

Han rolled his eyes and turned around to head back into the kitchen.

“Boy, if I had been given money for every time I said that....” he muttered.

“It’s not!” Ben repeated. “It’s getting better – I mean, he calmed me down last night after I found out about Snoke. It’s not...I’m dealing with it. We’re dealing with it. Besides, there are honestly more pressing things to deal with than my sex life!”

He saw Rey slink off to sit with Chewie as his mother continued to stare him down, her eyes narrowed.

“Fine,” she said eventually. “But don’t think we’re done talking about this.”

“I can’t wait,” Ben grumbled.

He was really starting to wish he’d never opened his big fat mouth. Ben didn’t want to talk about Hux because he didn’t know what to say. The man drove him insane, both in a good ways and bad. Ben didn’t know if he liked him or hated him; if he wanted to punch him or kiss him; if he wanted to be with him or never see him again. Ben just didn’t know what he wanted anymore; or even if Hux would give it to him if he asked.

 

****

 

Several hours later, after waving the kids off at the door and watching them walk down the street, Leia and Han collapsed on their couch with Chewie between them and looked at each other.

“That Rey, girl,” Han said with a smirk. “I like her. She can come again.”

Leia smiled.

“She was lovely. Ben seemed to adore her.”

“So did Chewie,” Han replied - the dog gave a short bark of agreement. “It’s a shame Ben isn’t dating _her_.”

“It’s a ten year age gap, Han.”

“Well...that isn’t so bad, is it?”

“It’s a little too much. For all the bad decisions Ben is making these days, I’m very glad that isn’t one of them.”

“Ah, yes,” mused Han. “The infamous roommate.”

“I’m worried about him, Han,” Leia said, frowning.

Her husband of thirty years shrugged, helplessly.

“He’ll be okay. He’s a big boy.”

“What if he’s not okay?” Leia pressed. “He’s under enough stress with this Snoke business as it is – I don’t want his mental health to deteriorate because he has this non-boyfriend to deal with too.”

“It sounds like they’re just as bad as each other,” Han replied. “They’ll get tired of pressing each other’s buttons soon enough and they’ll either make up or break up. Until then, there’s not much we can do.”

Leia’s perfectly groomed eyebrows arched in amusement.

“You know, you don’t have very many of them...but in some moments you come out with some pearls of wisdom.”

“I’ll have you know, I’m a very wise man!”

Leia burst out laughing and gave an affectionate rub to an indignant Han’s knee.

“You keep telling yourself that, honey.”

 

****

 

Hux had tried to sleep. He really had; it was just that he couldn’t. His brain was too full and he couldn’t sort things out they way he normally would. Short of getting blind drunk and passing out, there really wasn’t any way he could get around the problem – there was a bottle of whisky on standby beside his bed.

After his failed attempt at boxing, Hux had filled a bath full of water hot enough to boil a lobster and it was a lovely respite from his worries about his father and Ben. His skin turned bright pink as he eased himself in, relishing the scalding water that set every nerve ending on edge. Hux sat in it until the water was cold and his worries returned; after which, he let the water out of the bath and got out the bleach. If he couldn’t sleep, the least he could do was clean.

He didn’t know if it had been his time in the cadets that had ingrained him with the need for sterile cleanliness or if he’d learned it before then – when it was just him and his father. All he knew is that his father could pick fault in anything and make Hux’s life a misery over it. There was no such thing as cleaning the house too many times, especially not when he lived with Ben Solo.

Hux had scrubbed the bathroom until it was clean enough to perform surgery, and had moved onto the kitchen when Ben came home later in the day. He had been concentrating so hard on making the black-and-white tiles gleam that he hadn’t even heard his flatmate come in; only being alerted to his presence when Ben let out a loud exclamation at the kitchen door.

“Holy fuck! Hux...what the Hell?”

Hux looked up from the floor as Ben hastily deposited an armful of food cartons on the kitchen worktop, gazing in horror at the tiles.

“Did I miss a spot?” Hux murmured, still dazed from the abrupt disruption.

Dropping to the floor, Ben practically wrestled the scrubbing brush from Hux’s hands and threw it back in the bucket.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Ben muttered as his large hands enveloped Hux’s own. “What the fuck happened to your fingers?”

Slowly, Hux’s eyes lowered, dropping to look at his hands. He blinked in surprise to find the skin on his hands to be an angry red; cracks had appeared on the driest patches and the cuts were raw and bleeding.

“Bleach,” he replied; serenely. “It’s okay...they don’t hurt...”

“Come on – get up.”

“I’m not finished...”

“I don’t care,” snapped Ben. “On your feet – we need to wash this all off.”

Hux was hauled to his feet and his hands thrust underneath the cold tap. Only then did the cuts begin to sting and Hux winced and hissed at the pain. Ben’s thumbs brushed over Hux’s cracked skin roughly as he tried to scrub the bleach out; a scowl etched deep into his brow.

“You’re fucking insane, you know that?” Ben grumbled. “I don’t know how many times you’ve cleaned the damn flat this week – it’s clean enough! And you can’t even dilute your bleach properly...what’s wrong with you?”

Ben was more talking to himself than to Hux, so Hux stayed silent as he allowed the bleach to be washed from his skin; fingers going numb under the cold water; Ben’s thumbs still brushing over the surface of his hands. The action was becoming more gentle with every moment; Ben sounding less grouchy.

“I can’t figure you out – there’s been something more going on than your usual stick up your ass, and I can’t tell what it is, but I know something is up. Not that you’d ever tell me...”

The scowl was still there, drawing Ben’s dark eyebrows close together; his mouth was almost in a pout of indignation that looked so strange on a grown man that Hux wanted to laugh. He recognised this – it was concern. Ben was concerned for his wellbeing just as Hux had been concerned for Ben’s, and the realisation was somewhat comforting.

Hux watched silently as Ben turned the cold water off and gently wrapped his hands up in a tea towel; padding his skin dry and trying not to make the cuts worse. They stung and itched as the numbness from the water wore off, but were less red when Ben unwrapped them again. Sighing, Ben tossed the sodden towel away and reached for the bottle of olive oil on the bench, pouring a small amount into his palm before taking Hux’s hands in his again.

The last time they had reached for that bottle of olive oil, it had been under less innocent circumstances than this. Ben gently massaged the oil into Hux’s skin, rubbing it into all the cracks so that it would absorb and restore much-needed moisture. Hux was surprised to find that he liked it – soothing circles being slowly massaged into his hands by large, gentle fingers. He wasn’t used to being treated like this.

“Are you okay?” Ben murmured, snapping Hux from his reverie.

“Yes,” Hux whispered.

He was almost afraid to speak in case it broke the spell; Ben’s brown eyes searching for his as those large, comforting fingers ceased their movement on his hands but still holding on.

“Thank you,” Hux managed to say, still not meeting Ben’s gaze.

A hand suddenly released its hold on his and slipped under Hux’s chin, gently raising his head so that green eyes met brown.

“Is this because of me?” Ben asked, sadly. “Am I making you do this?”

The ache that hit Hux’s chest was almost unbearable. He was too exhausted to fight against it; feeling his protective walls slip away a little more as he shuffled a step closer to Ben and reached out; his fingers brushing back a lock of wavy, dark hair.

“No,” Hux whispered. “It’s not you.”

Ben looked at him with big, sad eyes and Hux caved, closing the small gap between them to press a kiss to those full lips. The kiss was soft – nothing like to the harsh, almost violent kisses that Hux was used to; with Ben; with everyone else he’d ever been with. For once in his life, Hux wasn’t looking to scratch an itch – it was comfort he was seeking; a desperate distraction from everything in his life causing him stress; finding it in Ben.

It was inevitable really that they ended up on the couch; clothes discarded and strewn about the floor in a trail that led from the kitchen; Hux, naked in Ben’s lap. He loved it – rocking slowly in Ben’s lap as he was filled up; Ben’s nails softly scraping down his spine; Ben’s lips at his throat. Hux buried his hands into soft dark hair; feeling the cool, silken strands beneath his fingertips as he guided Ben’s mouth to where he wanted it; delighting again in Ben’s passivity. He let Hux be in control; dictating their pace; the angle. Hux loved riding – it was his favourite position to be in; taking a cock as deep as he could get it; angling his hips so it brushed over that sweet spot. He could easily lose himself in the pleasure of it; of the rhythmic rumble of Ben’s moans as Hux’s body enveloped him and tensed and pulled and surrounded him in heat once again.

“You feel so good...” Hux gasped into Ben’s ear; groaning gently as Ben’s teeth gently sank into his shoulder.

“You too...”

Hux kissed Ben again, quickening his pace as he lifted up, rolled his hips back, and dropped in an efficient cycle. He could feel himself getting close and he didn’t want to stop it; green eyes flying open and panting hard as Ben’s nails scraped down his spine again. Hux came with a soft cry; burying it into the side of Ben’s neck as he rode through it; ignoring the sensitivity that crept up on him as he kept going until Ben tensed and tightened under him; gasping harshly as he spilled his orgasm into Hux’s body.

His heart thudded harshly in Hux’s chest as he stilled, running a hand through Ben’s damp hair as they kissed again; softly and slowly. Biting nails turned to gentle caresses as Ben’s fingertips traced patterns on the bare skin of Hux’s back. Hux found he loved the touch – the warmth of Ben’s skin against his as they held each other; the soft, post-coital kisses. He felt...almost safe.

Ben’s dark eyes were almost black with blown pupils as he drew back slightly; large hands smoothing down Hux’s hair as their breathing turned returned to normal.

“Come to bed with me,” Ben murmured against his lips.

Just like that, the cold started to seep back into Hux’s blood and he pulled away.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he replied.

“Why not?”

Ben dipped his head and softly ran his lips over the freckled skin on Hux’s shoulder. Suddenly, the gentle caresses were like razors cutting into his flesh and Hux fought against the panic rising in his chest as he pulled away from Ben completely. He wasn’t ready for this – there was too much going on; too much to deal with for Hux to deal with this as well. It was too soon; too much to process at once.

“It’s just not,” he replied, coldly; all but tumbling from Ben’s lap.

“Of course,” Ben muttered. “I don’t know why I expect anything else from you – you just fuck and flee.”

Hux kept his eyes determinedly on the floor as he struggled to separate his clothes from Ben’s, staying silent.

“I mean, has it even crossed your mind that I might want you to stay the night with me?”

“If you’re looking for somebody to cuddle,” Hux replied, “you might want to start having sex with somebody else.”

Finally retrieving his final item of clothing, Hux took off as fast as he could towards the bathroom.

“Fine!” Ben shouted after him just as Hux shut the bathroom door and locked it behind him.

Turning on the shower, he tried not to think about how he’d now need to get the couch deep cleaned. He especially tried hard not to think of how much he’d liked being held in Ben’s arms.


	8. Chapter 8

The minute Ben spotted her in the library, he knew what he was going to do.

He’d spent the whole night thinking about what Hux had said to him as he’d walked away yet again – if Ben wanted somebody to stay the night and cuddle with him, then he should probably have sex with someone else. It was obvious to Ben now that Hux only wanted him for sex; that Ben wanted more than what Hux was capable of giving him but the whole situation made him mad. Hux had given him mixed signals from the start and Ben was sick of it; angry at himself for allowing himself to be used that way; angry at Hux for being constantly hot and cold.

Ben had already made his mind up as he’d left the flat that morning to bring home somebody else and have very loud sex all over Hux’s goddamn flat to spite him, but the moment his eyes fell on the girl in the library, Ben’s objective shifted.

She was tall and slim; copper hair falling in long ringlets down her back; freckles that covered her nose and cheeks, and spread down over the small patch of bare creamy skin exposed at the ‘v’ of her shirt. It wasn’t as though Ben was especially attracted to this girl, but she fit the right criteria – how best to get back at a tall, slim, freckled redhead but to have sex with another tall, slim, freckled redhead? The gender didn’t really matter – it was more about making a point.

Stuffing his book back on its shelf, Ben hoisted his messenger bag up higher on his shoulder, ran a hand through his hair, and made a bee-line for the girl who was browsing the texts in the Philosophy section. The Solos had their own peculiar brand of charm which sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t – they just had to hope they flirted with the right person. Ben stopped at the bookshelf next to the girl who glanced up at him and smiled. Casually, Ben picked up a book and smiled back, taking a few seconds to leaf through it before speaking.

“You know, I once wrote a paper on historical materialism – I didn’t get very good Marx.”

Slowly, the girl looked up from her book and stared at him; brown eyes going wide. For a moment, Ben was worried he’d made an awful mistake but then the girl’s mouth twitched at the corner and a giggle escaped her. Letting out a relieved sigh, Ben grinned.

“I know – that was terrible. Worst joke ever. I’m sorry.”

“No, it was funny,” the girl replied; a pale pink blush, spreading across her cheeks.

“Yeah? If you like that, I have so many more crappy jokes.”

“Try me,” she said, putting her book back on the shelf.

Ben returned his own and casually leaned against the bookshelf.

“Okay,” he replied. “A Roman walks into a bar and orders a martinus. The bartender asks if he means a martini, so the Roman replies ‘If I’d wanted a double, I would have asked for it’”.

The girl let out a snort of laughter which disturbed the surrounding students who looked up and tutted with disapproval. Ben silently celebrated his victory.

“I’m Ben,” he said, holding out his hand.

“I’m Rose,” she replied as she shook his hand briefly.

“Nice to meet you, Rose. I like your hair.”

Rose automatically reached up to twist a copper spiral around her finger; her blush deepening.

“You do?”

“Yeah, I love redheads,” Ben replied. “I love freckles too.”

The girl smiled and ducked her head; face now almost the colour of a strawberry.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Ben murmured. “You’re very pretty.”

Rose giggled some more and Ben decided it was time to go in for the kill.

“Hey – you wouldn’t want to make like the Roman and grab a coupke of martinis?”

She blinked; surprised.

“What? Now?”

“Are you free now?” Ben asked.

Rose glanced around her and then shrugged.

“Sure. That would be great.”

It was almost too easy. Rose was sweet and giggly, and getting her to come back home with him after a couple of drinks wasn’t hard once Ben had turned on his nerdy charm. He wooed her with knowledge of philosophy and history and his terrible jokes about both; Rose giggled and twirled her copper spirals, her body turned into his as they chatted.

Ben kissed her almost as soon as they got back to his flat; impressed at the way Rose melted against him. If circumstances had different, Ben thought Rose could have made a really good friend – they had a lot in common and she was sweet. He wasn’t at all sexually attracted to her, but he’d brought her back home for a very specific reason and that was to get back at his flatmate with the huge stick up his ass. Ben had timed it well; arriving home only 20 minutes before Hux usually walked through the door. It gave Ben enough time to get his shirt off and Rose’s; making sure she was on top of him with his hands in her copper curls; making out on the couch as Hux walked into the living room.

“Oh, shit...” Rose mumbled; blushing a furious red as she startled at the sound of somebody walking into the living room.

She made a swift move for her shirt as Hux stared at them both; a muscle twitching in his cheek as he took in the sight of the tall, freckled girl with red hair and Ben’s shit-eating grin. Hux said nothing at all.

“I...I should probably go,” Rose said, quietly; looking from Ben to Hux, and back again.

“You don’t have to,” Ben replied, cheerfully. “It’s only my flatmate.”

Hux’s cheek twitched again and his green eyes slowly slid away from the couple on his couch. Ben watched him silently walk past them into the kitchen.

“He seems cross,” Rose whispered as she shrugged her shirt back on.

“Don’t mind him – he’s an asshole.”

Rose smiled but continued to get dressed.

“I should really go,” she replied. “I had a really nice time though.”

“Me too,” Ben said with a grin.

He watched as Rose slipped on her shoes and grabbed her jacket and bag; kissing her once more before she hastened out of the flat with a furtive glance at Hux who was draining a glass of wine in the kitchen. Ben waited until the front door had closed before reaching for his shirt.

“Congratulations,” Hux said, dryly; refusing to look at Ben as he poured another glass of wine.

“Thanks,” Ben replied, smugly.

He smiled to himself as he pottered back to his bedroom and threw himself onto his mess of a bed. His venture had had the desired effect on his flatmate and that pleased Ben greatly. He’d have to find himself a new redhead for Tuesday.

 

****

 

Having put in a fitful night on Sunday, Hux’s Monday night was no better. He’d come home with the intention of trying to talk to Ben about what had happened at the weekend; about why Hux had bolted the second Ben had asked him to go to bed with him. Instead of finding Ben in the middle of a level on Portal, Hux had come home to find him kissing a half naked girl on Hux’s couch. The length of her legs, her red hair, and the freckles that covered her skin were not lost on Hux; but even more hurtful was the fact that she was there at all. Hux could have kicked himself – he’d done this; he’d scuppered everything by opening his big fat mouth.

Hux finished a bottle of wine and drank half of the whisky in the bottle he’d put on his bedside table, finally passing out with the alcohol and waking up with a terrible hangover on Tuesday morning. He didn’t even know how he’d made it to work in the first place, much less sit there all day and talk economics with his head feeling as though it could explode at any moment. He was almost happy to stumble into Phasma’s flat that evening as she served him a delicious paella and lots of mineral water.

“You look terrible,” she said; bluntly.

“I feel terrible.”

Phasma frowned.

“You know you _can_  just refuse to see your father,” she murmured. “It’s ramping your anxiety up to maximum. You’re not sleeping...I’m concerned.”

Hux snorted derisively as he drained his glass of mineral water and held it out for a top-up.

“Oh, if only it was just my father that was giving me problems.”

“What do you mean?” Phasma asked; her fair brows knitting together.

Hux sighed and ran a hand over his face.

“I messed up with Ben.”

“Oh dear,” Phasma murmured. “What happened this time?”

“We had sex again,” Hux told her. “I was...in an anxiety haze and he pulled me out of it. It wasn’t just sex – it was...cathartic; gentle. I actually enjoyed it; enjoyed being held by him; enjoyed just _being_  there when it was all finished and not moving away immediately.”

Phasma said nothing; her blue eyes watching him calmly as Hux drank more of his water and tugged at his hair.

“He asked me to go to bed with him and I panicked,” Hux admitted. “I told him that if he wanted that then he should have sex with somebody else...”

“Oh, Hux...”

He flinched at Phasma’s gentle tone. Even after all these years, it surprised him that somebody could listen to his stupidity and not yell at him.

“He brought home a girl last night – tall; red hair; freckles. Kissing her on the couch; both of them half naked like he was trying to prove a point.”

“I’m sorry,” Phasma replied.

“It’s not your fault,” murmured Hux. “It’s mine. I reacted badly and now I’m paying the price for it.”

He could have kicked himself. Hux had known that his feelings towards Ben were changing but he’d decided not to deal with them immediately, believing that his priority was preparing for his father’s visit. He’d thought he would have time to process it all before having to confront Ben about it, but now his procrastination was hurting him.

Hux had walked into his flat the previous evening to see Ben all over somebody else and had felt his first stab of jealousy. He’d never believed Ben would take him literally; that he would actually go out and find other people to have sex with and it hurt more than Hux had ever expected it to.

He stayed at Phasma’s as long as he could; not really wanting to go home and face Ben. His flatmate didn’t seem to be about when he wearily closed the front door but as he walked along the hallway, he heard faint sounds coming from Ben’s bedroom. Two minutes after Hux shut the door to his bedroom, the sounds got louder; headboard banging against the wall as Ben began moaning and crying out as though he was being fucked to within an inch of his life. All for Hux’s benefit, he guessed.

Reaching for the whisky bottle, Hux downed what was left in it and collapsed on his bed, pulling the pillow over his head and wishing that he could smother himself to death with it rather than listen to his flatmate’s fucking. It was going to be another long night.

 

****

 

By Wednesday, Phasma’s concern had reached critical levels. On her way to work, she had spotted a tall, slim, redheaded man with a beard and a ponytail skulking out of Hux and Ben’s apartment – he gave her a marginal smile and a brief wave as he dashed out of the building and down the road in the opposite direction. Judging by the sounds she’d heard from the flat next door the previous evening, it was evident that Phasma had found the source. She could only imagine how Hux was feeling.

Instead of going straight to work, she ran upstairs and woke up Jess and Rey.

“Do either of you know what’s happening between Hux and Ben?” she asked, fixing both women a strong cup of coffee each.

“The hatefucking thing?” yawned Rey. “Yeah, even Ben’s parents found out about that at the weekend.”

“No, not that,” Phasma replied.

She sighed as she sat on the edge of Jessika’s couch.

“You know I don’t gossip about other people’s problems,” Phasma continued. “But this thing between them has got out of hand.”

Pushing her long black hair back from her face, Jess sat up straight; frowning.

“What have those idiots done now?”

Phasma sighed again; nervously chewing the edge of her thumbnail for a second before answering.

“A few days ago, Hux told me that...he was starting to develop feelings towards Ben.”

Rey nearly choked on her coffee.

“You have to be fucking kidding me?”

“I’m not,” Phasma replied. “He admitted that he cared about him, but Hux being Hux, he had no idea how to process it especially in the light of his father’s impending visit.”

“He wanted to think about it,” Jess interjected. “I’ve never known Hux to develop feelings for anybody – that much have been like getting hit by a freight train.”

Phasma nodded.

“So...what’s the issue?” asked Rey. “Hux likes Ben; Ben likes Hux – they’re admitting it now, so it should all be okay, right?”

“Ben’s started having sex with other people.”

Rey’s mouth dropped in shock.

“Woah,” murmured Jessika.

“Apparently, in a moment of panic, Hux told him to have sex with somebody else if he wanted post-coital snuggles and Ben took him literally. He brought a girl back on Monday and Hux found them making out, half naked on the couch and this morning I just saw a guy I’ve never seen before, skulking out of their flat.”

“That is cold,” Jessika muttered.

Phasma bit at her thumbnail again.

“They were both redheads,” she added. “Both tall, both slim, both freckled redheads.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Rey said, setting her coffee cup down and moving to stand up. “I’m going to rip that selfish little arsehole’s head off for this...”

Jess caught her by the wrist and dragged Rey back onto the couch.

“Yelling at him might not be the best way to handle it, honey,” she murmured.

“I agree,” said Phasma. “Yelling at Ben seems to just make him even more stubborn and determined. We’re going to need to come up with a better strategy.”

Rey frowned but accepted her coffee cup as Jess handed it back to her.

“Poor Hux,” she murmured.

“I know,” Phasma replied. “He’s gone through his whole life being emotionally repressed and never forming attachments, and the second somebody gets under his skin, something like this happens.”

“Do you think he’s going to bring more home with him?” asked Jess. “Ben, I mean.”

Phasma shrugged.

“If he’s trying to prove a point, then yes.”

“He’ll keep doing it until he provokes a reaction,” added Rey; sadly.

“Or until he gets bored.”

Jessika took a thoughtful sip of coffee.

“Could we try to keep Hux away from the flat?”

“His own flat?” said Rey, doubtfully. “It’s not likely.”

“Maybe we should keep our eyes open,” Phasma suggested. “If we suspect that Ben has brought somebody home with him, we invite Hux out for dinner or something – keep him away from it all.”

“There’s only so long that’ll work,” Rey replied.

“If Ben is still doing it by the weekend, we’ll intervene,” said Jess. “We’ll tell Finn and Poe about it and we can sit both Ben and Hux down and get them to damn well talk to each other.”

“That seems like it’s the only way we’re going to resolve this,” admitted Phasma.

She had almost hoped that they’d never have to intervene – that Ben was already bored of trying to get a rise from Hux and that they’d talk it out for themselves. That was until she came home from work several hours later; opening the heavy outer door and walking into the building only to find Hux pushed up against the front door of his flat with Ben sucking marks onto his neck.

Surprise turned very quickly into disbelief, because her eyes had deceived her at first – that was not Hux that Ben had pressed up against his apartment door, but somebody who looked very much like him. It was the hair that she immediately recognised as not being right – more copper than Hux’s strawberry blond; the nose, not as long; eyes, although closed, were oval and not almond-shaped; his entire face, much younger. The man pinned against the door couldn’t have been much older than twenty and Phasma had to fight very hard with herself not to grab Ben by the scruff of the neck and give him a bloody good shake.

Turning away quickly, Phasma retreated into her own apartment before the main door had finished closing; hastily sending a text to Jess about it. She sat by the window for an hour until she saw the real Hux walking dejectedly towards the building. There was no chance in hell that Phasma was going to let him go home tonight when Ben would be most likely fucking Hux’s doppelganger. Hux didn’t deserve that at all.

 

****

 

Hux knew what Ben was doing now. He’d spent the night on Phasma’s couch after she’d prevented him from going home to find Ben fucking another redhead. It was obvious – by choosing to bring home others with Hux’s exact body type, Ben was telling Hux that he was replaceable; that tall, slim, freckled redheads were everywhere and he could pick one up and bring one back whenever he liked. Ben was telling Hux that he didn’t matter.

Hux felt horribly unsurprised by it. He’d always known he was difficult; had been told every day since birth that he was a disappointment; that he was unlikeable. It was inevitable that Ben would tire of Hux’s emotional distancing and show him that he could get whatever he wanted at any time from anybody else. It hurt, though – the fact that he’d been careless and let Ben close enough to torture him like this. Hux got the point – he now just wished that Ben would realise he’d already broken him and stop.

There was no such luck on Thursday night as Hux cautiously walked through his flat only to stop dead at the sight of another girl in his kitchen – tall; slim; freckles peppering her face, arms, back, and chest; her strawberry blonde hair cut in a pixie crop; her features, elfin. She was wearing only her underwear; barefoot on the black and white kitchen tiles as she drank a full glass of water. Hux didn’t even give her the time to notice him; turning on his heel and walking back out of his flat and up the stairs.

He had seen no lights on at Phasma’s when he’d passed her flat, so he went to the only other place where he had friends. He felt miserably numb as he knocked on the Damerons’ door, barely even registering the orange corgi torpedo that slammed excitedly into his legs as Poe opened the door.

“Can I stay on your couch tonight?” Hux asked; his own voice sounding distant.

He tried not to look Poe in the eye as his neighbour stepped back to let Hux into the flat.

“Sure y’can, buddy,” Poe replied, softly. “We got room.”

Hux didn’t remember eating, although he was sure Poe and Finn would have tried to feed him something. They thankfully didn’t ask him any questions – either they already knew all about it or they were too polite to ask, and both were highly possible. If Hux had been the type of person to cry, he probably would have done it then, but he wasn’t even sure he knew how to. Ben had gone through four different redheads in four days for the singular purpose of making Hux suffer. He’d even chased Hux out of his own home; relegated him to sleeping on his neighbours’ couches and eating their food.

BB-8 jumped on the couch next to him, snuggling up as Hux lay down. Usually, a warm, wiggly corgi was enough to lift anybody’s spirits but Hux felt so low at the point, he didn’t know if he’d ever feel okay again. He clung to the dog’s rough-soft orange coat and closed his eyes, blocking out Finn and Poe’s whispered conversation from the other room. Hux’s father would be visiting soon and Hux didn’t know if he had the strength to withstand it. He could cope with Ben, or he could bear his father’s verbal and emotional abuse, but he couldn’t deal with both at the same time – it was too much stress; more than he’d ever felt before.

He hadn’t slept properly in days; hadn’t eaten well or exercised; weakened by all the damage done by his own mistakes, Ben’s torture, and the thought of what his father would say when he finally turned up. BB-8 whined softly, his large ears flattened as though he knew what Hux was thinking and was upset by his sadness. Hux sighed heavily and buried his face into BB-8’s neck. It wasn’t just that cracks were starting to show – Hux was already crumbling apart.

 

****

 

“This is ridiculous,” Poe hissed, casting a furtive glance over his shoulder. “That is _not_  Hux on our couch. I have never seen him like this before.”

Finn scratched his hand through his short hair and sighed. They were in their bedroom with the door mostly closed, talking in hushed voices so as not to disturb the mess of a man passed out on the couch with their dog. Poe was right – neither of them had ever seen Hux like this before, but Poe had known him longer. Hux always seemed to be very outwardly calm; very composed, even the last time his horrible father had visited – Hux’s demeanour had been a little more strained an usual; his appearance a little less perfect in the days running up to it, but he’d remained collected.

It had been Rey who’d informed him of the new situation development with Hux and Ben – of Hux’s surprising new feelings and of Ben’s string of redheads. If only those two had jus talked to each other, Finn thought. They could have prevented so much misery.

“Should I go get Phasma?” he asked Poe.

“I don’t think that would help right now,” murmured Poe. “We’re best just leaving him alone for the time being.”

Finn nodded and looked at his feet.

“How long are we going to let this go on, Poe?”

His husband sighed and ran a hand through his dark curls.

“We’ll talk to them tomorrow. The ladies said to give them till the end of the week and if they hadn’t sorted it out themselves, then we’d intervene. I’ll finish work early tomorrow so we’re all home by the time Hux gets home – we can figure out how we’ll handle it before we go in.”

“Okay,” Finn murmured.

Sighing again, Finn walked over and gathered Finn up in his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“We’ll sort them out, sweetie. I promise.”

Finn only hoped Poe was right.

 

****

 

Ben had been jittery all day; annoyed that his plan was going awry. Hux had spent two nights away from the flat, much to Ben’s displeasure – he blamed Phasma for Wednesday, where Ben had stumbled upon the perfect revenge fuck, only for Hux to never show up. He’d heard Phasma’s door slam as he’d had the redhead pinned up against his front door and he was positive that she’d warned Hux not to go back into his flat. If he had, he would have found Ben fucking the life out of a kid who looked a lot like him only younger; right there on the living room floor.

He’d thought by now that Hux would have been up in his face about it – that had been the entire point of this. Ben didn’t care about the redheads that he’d brought home; he hadn’t even been especially attracted to them – all he’d wanted was for Hux to take notice; to get angry at him; for Ben to feel like he was worth fighting over. Hux didn’t care though; not about this. Ben would get more of a rise out of him if he trashed the flat again rather than fucked another random person in it.

Ben had been about to give up on the whole thing when he spotted his Wednesday night lay again – the Huxalike – standing, waiting for the bus. This one, Ben had been attracted to; sexually at least. It was difficult not to be; what with the remarkable resemblance to the person he’d rather have been fucking. The Huxalike looked enough like the original to take notice, although his hair was a different shade of ginger and his eyes were blue instead of green. He also smiled and giggled more than Hux ever had, but he moaned like a dream when Ben got him on his hands and knees in bed. This one, he’d actually enjoyed sleeping with...especially when that slim, pale body had curled up into his and slept. It was a shame that he had the personality of a cardboard box.

Hoisting his bag strap onto his shoulder, Ben made his way to the bus stop and lightly touched the redhead’s arm.

“Tom?” he enquired, plastering on his best charming face.

The kid’s face lit up as he turned and Ben knew he was going to get exactly what he wanted out of him.

“Ben! Hi! I...uh...I forgot to ask you for your number the other day...”

“I know,” Ben replied with a lopsided grin. “I was thinking you didn’t want to see me again.”

“Are you kidding?” Tom replied; a light rose blush spreading over his freckled cheeks. “I’ve been kicking myself for two days for forgetting.”

Ben felt a kind of smug satisfaction spread through him.

“Well,” he said, casting a glance around him as he lowered his voice, seductively. “If you’re not busy right now, you can come back to my place – we can pick up where we left off?”

Tom swallowed visibly, his blush deepening as Ben reached out and gently tugged the collar of his shirt. Slowly, the boy nodded.

“Yeah, I’d really like that.”

Grinning, Ben turned and beckoned Tom to follow him. He had an idea of how exactly to get a rise out of Hux.

 

****

 

He was going to have to sleep in his own bed sooner or later. Two nights of sleeping fitfully on couches and two nights of getting so drunk he passed out in order to block out the sex noises had taken their toll. Hux hadn’t shaved in hell-knows how long; the red-blond stubble on his face now almost a full beard that made him look older than he was when matched with the dark circles beneath his eyes and the haggard appearance of his skin. Hux needed a bath and a shave, some decent food and sleep, even if he had to walk around with his eyes closed and ear plugs in. He couldn’t let Ben chase him out of his home any longer.

Whatever activity Ben was getting up to with whoever, it was not going to stop Hux from having his bath. He was fully determined...right up until the moment he set foot in the living room to find Ben in his armchair.

It wasn’t just that Ben was in Hux’s armchair – somebody else was sitting in Hux’s armchair and Ben was sitting on them; both naked; both panting and sweaty as Ben’s thighs worked to lift him up and slam back down on another man’s cock. It got even worse than that when then stranger in the chair let out a soft moan; head falling back onto the back of the chair cushion – it was almost as though Hux was looking into a mirror, or a picture of his younger self. He stood and stared, watching Ben ride Hux’s doppelganger on Hux’s armchair; the muscles in those strong shoulders, rippling as Ben rode the guy like a prize-winning jockey; the imposter’s fingernails scraping down Ben’s skin.

For a long moment, Hux’s brain couldn’t process it – the man who looked like a younger version of himself; the violation of Hux’s sacred space; how blessed out Ben looked as he fucked himself of the redhead’s cock and pulled at his own thick, dark hair. Hux felt numb; frozen. All at once, incredibly and uncontrollably furious, Hux lurched forward with an enraged yell, ready to murder his flatmate.

 

****

 

They all heard it – Hux’s shout. The neighbours had all convened in the Damerons’ flat earlier that afternoon to discuss their intervention but the second they heard noise from downstairs, they were up like a shot; chairs knocked to the floor and coffee mugs abandoned as they all raced for the door; Phasma ahead with Rey just behind.

They were halfway down the stairs when the door to Flat A opened and a young man tumbled out wearing his underwear and the rest of his clothes bundled up in his arms; blue eyes wide with shock. Phasma recognised him instantly as the Huxalike that Ben had brought home on Wednesday – she had managed to stop Hux from seeing him that night, but Ben must have brought him back for the sole reason of making sure Hux saw him In  _ **flagrante**_  delicto. Phasma didn’t even have the time to be mad as she rushed past the surprised boy towards the sound of Hux and Ben screaming at each other.

Finn, Poe, and Jessika all slowed down slightly to gawp at the young man’s startling resemblance to their redheaded neighbour, but Rey threw him a look of pity as she hurried on.

“You’d best get out of here, sharp,” she told him, not harshly.

He nodded and pulled on his t-shirt, wordlessly as Rey ran into the flat, just behind Phasma.

If circumstances had been different, the scene the met them would have been hilarious – Ben standing just in front of Hux’s armchair, stark naked with a flush over his face and chest and an ebbing erection, chest to chest with Hux who was fully clothed in his work suit and shouting back.

“In my CHAIR, Ben?”

“Yes, in your fucking chair! Your special fucking chair that now has my sweat and lube all over it...”

Nobody was fast enough to stop the vicious right hook from Hux that caught Ben square in his mouth, splitting his lower lip. It took the combined efforts of Phasma, Poe, and Jess to pull Hux away and prevent him from landing another blow; Rey positioning herself between the two arguing men as Finn placated Ben.

“Alright, that’s enough!” Rey said, firmly. “You’re acting like children!”

None of them had ever seen Hux like this – his face red with anger, mouth pulled into a snarl, and fighting against the hands restraining him and pulling him towards the door. Between them, Phasma, Poe, and Jessika managed to get Hux out of the flat, leaving Finn and Rey to deal with Ben who was nursing his split lip.

“What the actual fuck, Ben?” Rey asked angrily, ignoring his nakedness for the time being.

“He hit me!” Ben protested.

“For good reason! You’re lucky that I’m not punching you too!”

Ben pouted and then winced as the cut on his lip split a little further. Next to him, Finn sighed and picked up the jumble of clothes on the floor by the chair.

“Put some damn pants on,” he muttered, thrusting a pair of black jeans under Ben’s nose.

Sulkily, Ben climbed into them and shrugged on his t-shirt; Finn averting his eyes while Rey stared him down.

“This has to stop,” Rey said firmly when Ben had finished.

“What?” Ben asked; his tone, innocent.

“Fucking a different redhead every day, that’s what,” replied Finn, rolling his eyes.

Ben looked guiltily at his feet but said nothing. Slowly, Rey sat down on the couch next to him and reached over, taking his hands in hers.

“It’s not helping anything,” she told him gently. “You started doing it to provoke a reaction from Hux? Well congratulations - you succeeded. He’s very, very miserable. And now, he’s exceptionally angry.”

“Then why didn’t he say anything?” Ben muttered. “If what I was doing was getting to him, then why didn’t he call me out?”

It sounded petty even to his own ears but he didn’t much care.

“Because he’s stubborn,” murmured Finn. “You both are - too damn block- headed to see what’s right under your noses.”

Rey shot Finn a look that made him stop talking. Finn sighed and headed into the kitchen to find some ice for Ben’s split lip as Rey turned her attention back to him.

“If I ask you a question will you answer me honestly?”

Ben shrugged.

“Sure.”

“Do you like Hux?”

Ben snorted derisively.

“Alright, let me put it another way,” Finn interjected, returning with a towel full of ice cubes that he handed to Ben. “How do you feel when you’re with him?”

“That depends,” Ben muttered. “Which time?”

“Any of them!” Rey cried, throwing up her hands in frustration. “All of them. Break it down for us.”

Ben looked at her and sighed.

“Okay. When we’re…when we’re fucking, it’s incredible,” he began, slowly. “I’ve never experienced anything like it in my life - it’s always different, always…just what I need. I could be feeling fractured; coming apart at the seams, but the second he touches me it’s like I’m coming back together again, like I’m being contained. Controlled…isn’t the word for it. I can’t explain it but he seems to know exactly what to do, exactly how to handle me at any given time and somehow I’m no longer scattered. The world narrows and there’s only him and me and this indescribable perfection….”

Ben paused and ran a hand through his hair.

“And then it’s over and he goes cold. Everything was fire and suddenly it’s like I’ve been plunged into an icy lake and it hurts. He never stays…he just gets up and leaves…and sometimes he looks at me and he looks absolutely disgusted. And that’s when I tell myself it’s the last time, but it’s never the last time.”

Finn and Rey glanced at each other as Ben gingerly pressed the icy towel to his bleeding lip.

“And what about when you argue?”

“I hate him,” Ben murmured. “He’s just so…immovable. I want to punch him in the face. But then…we even out again and things are good, and that’s when I break.”

“If you didn’t fight,” Rey said slowly. “If you could compromise and meet halfway…if Hux didn’t get up and leave…if he stayed with you…”

“Then I’d possibly be very in love with him,” Ben muttered, miserably.

 

****

 

  
In Phasma’s apartment, the anger was slowly ebbing from Hux’s body, leaving him drained and mostly exhausted.

“I need a glass of wine,” he said as he slid into his usual chair at Phasma’s kitchen table.

“No you don’t,” she replied. “You need to talk to Ben.”

“He doesn’t want to talk to me,” Hux muttered. “He just wants to torture me by fucking other people, very loudly, in my flat. In my _chair_...”

“Which is why you need to talk to him,” Phasma insisted. “This isn’t doing either of you any good. You’re destroying each other because you both refuse to talk about how you feel.”

Hux stared solidly at the table.

“I’m not sure how to do that.”

“Open your mouth and sounds come out,” replied Poe.

Hux managed a marginal smile.

“You two are more alike than you realise,” Jessika murmured from her place by the sink. “Just…for once in your life, open up to somebody.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“We know,” replied Phasma. “You’ve spent your entire life avoiding things like this but it’s come down to the fact that you either talk to each other properly – about everything – all your issues and hang ups; or you have to kick Ben out and you two never speak or see each other again.”

Hux stared at the table again. He knew that she was right – Phasma was always right – but the prospect of opening up and letting Ben know certain things about him terrified Hux to his core. It didn’t help that all he could think about was Ben desecrating his chair with a guy who could have been Hux’s younger brother. Part of him wasn’t entirely sure he could forgive Ben for it, but another part of him ached for the closeness he’d had with Ben and nobody else; craved it, almost. Hux supposed he’d never find out if he could forgive if he never tried.

It was at least an hour later when Hux made it back to his apartment; dropping his jacket in the hallway along with his tie and the cufflinks he’d removed at Phasma’s. He padded through the quiet flat, searching for Ben and eventually found him, not in his own room, but in Hux’s – sitting on the neatly made bed; looking dejected as he stared at his hands in his lap. Ben looked exactly how Hux felt – exhausted and miserable.

“We know how to make a mess of things, don’t we?”

Ben startled slightly, head whipping up as he looked at Hux, standing in the doorway.

“I guess we do,” Ben agreed, quietly.

Hux sighed deeply, urging his feet to move until he reached the bed and sat down next to Ben.

“You know I grew up in the military, don’t you?” he began, quietly. “The cadets - my dad was…is…a cold, hard bastard. It was beaten into me at a very young age to keep everything internalised. Love was weakness but I couldn’t help but love my father. He hates me – always has, even though I tried so hard to be what he wanted me to be. The only way to be strong was through pain and control. I was taught never to cry, never to let anyone in; to keep all my emotions locked deep inside the recesses of my brain. My father thought that subjecting somebody to so much pressure would produce a diamond, but instead he got coal - solid on the outside but under the surface I’m full of fissures and empty spaces.”

Hux looked at his hands, studying the cuts and cracks still visible from when he’d scrubbed the kitchen with bleach on the previous Sunday.

“I lived most of my life that way,” Hux continued. “And then you came along. You with your mess and your chaotic emotions and your temper…and somehow you got under my skin. You made me feel something - sometimes good, sometimes not, but the point is I couldn’t get you out of my head. You affected me and it was terrifying...”

He trailed off, glancing up to find Ben staring at him; mouth open slightly and saying nothing. It made Hux feel very uncomfortable.

“I’m trying here,” he murmured.

“You don’t hate me?” Ben asked eventually, his voice cracking slightly.

Hux shook his head.

“It wasn’t me that made you get up and walk away? You weren’t just using me to get what you wanted?”

“Maybe the first time,” Hux admitted. “But the night that you found out your thesis advisor stole your work, I realised that I cared about you. It’s just that I couldn’t process it at that time – I needed to prepare myself mentally for my father’s visit. I couldn’t do both. It was too big for me.”

Ben’s head dropped, sadly.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, a fat tear rolling down his cheek. “I didn’t know.”

“I know...”

“No, you don’t,” Ben sniffed. “I was trying to get back at you. I was so tired of you being hot and all over me one minute and then freezing me out the next. It was like you were toying with me...giving me just enough to keep me hanging on and then shutting me down. I wanted you to see me – I thought that if you gave a crap about me at all, you’d say something about the people I was bringing back with me. I’m so sorry...I act out when I’m rejected and I took it too far...”

Hux looked at his hands again. He could understand why Ben had done it, but it still hurt.

“I’m so tired,” Hux sighed, running his hands over his face and through his hair. “This all got so incredibly out of control.”

“I’m sorry,” Ben whispered again.

“I know,” murmured Hux. “The thing is, now we have to figure out what to do.”

“About what?”

“Everything,” Hux replied. “I care about you, but you hurt me. I know my actions wounded you too...”

“I still care about you,” Ben said quickly, wiping his tears away with the back of his hand.

Something inside Hux’s chest gave an involuntary flutter, like nothing he’d ever felt before; making him warm and slightly breathless. Slowly, he nodded.

“Can we come back from this?” he asked. “Stop this cycle we’ve managed to get into?”

When Hux looked up from his hands, he found himself staring into Ben’s eyes – large and brown and puppy-like, looking at Hux with hope and brimming tears.

“We can try,” Ben murmured. “Start again.”

Hux gave him the smallest of smiles.

“Tomorrow,” he replied. “Right now, I only have the energy to crawl into bed and hopefully sleep for a very long time.”

Ben looked at his feet, nodding.

“You want me to go?”

Hux glanced at him, taking in Ben’s profile and the dark hair that framed his face.

“You can stay,” Hux murmured.

Ben looked up, sharply.

“Really?”

“We have to start somewhere, I suppose,” Hux replied with a shrug. “Just to sleep – nothing else.”

Ben smiled at him, almost shy as he glanced over his shoulder at the rest of Hux’s well-made bed.

“Okay,” he murmured.

Slowly and without looking at each other, they stripped off their outer layers, climbing between fresh, warm sheets on opposite sides of the bed; t-shirts and underwear staying firmly on. Hux had never shared his bed with anybody before but he was surprised to find that he wasn’t as disturbed by it as he thought he would be. It was late and he was tired, from both not sleeping well this past couple of weeks and from keeping up their terrible game of one-upmanship. It was soothing to close his eyes and listen to Ben’s slow, steady breathing; feeling Ben’s body heat warm up the space between them.

Tomorrow would be for talking; for him and Ben to start relearning each other and finding out if what they had between them was salvageable. Tonight was for sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

The bed was warm with the majority of the heat at Hux’s back; seeping through the think fabric of his t-shirt and onto his skin; the weight of the blankets, heavy. As he slowly stirred from sleep, Hux realised that the heaviness wasn’t just due to the duvet and the heat wasn’t his own – Ben was at his back; curled into him from behind with his arm draped lightly over Hux’s ribs; nose brushing the hair at the back of his neck. A month ago, Hux’s first reaction to this realisation would have been to leap out of bed and run away as fast as he could; but this morning, after all he and Ben had been through, Hux found it strangely pleasant.

What surprised him most as he looked at the digital clock on his bedside table and took in the blurred numbers, was that he’d slept soundly for over twelve hours. It was the first time in almost two weeks that he’d slept more than two hours in a row, and he’d done it whilst sharing his bed with Ben. He’d also lost a contact lens during their scuffle the previous day and the offset of vision was already starting to give him a headache. As far as he could tell, Ben was still asleep so Hux carefully raised his hands and popped out the useless lens. He’d have to wear his rarely-used glasses until he could pick up another monthly prescription.

Dropping it on the bedside table, Hux shuffled back into Ben’s chest and smiled slightly as Ben’s arm tightened around his waist with a contented sigh. It was so peculiar how much Hux liked this; of being held by Ben Solo of all people – messy, chaotic Ben; somebody who was Hux’s direct opposite. There should not have been anything between them and yet...

Ben stirred behind him and Hux lay still and silent until he felt Ben tense up and become aware that he was spooning his flatmate.

“Sorry...” Ben muttered, beginning to withdraw his arm from around Hux’s waist.

“It’s okay,” replied Hux. “I quite liked it.”

Ben’s arm halted its movement; fingertips brushing Hux’s ribs.

“Do you want me to move?”

“You don’t have to,” Hux murmured.

A heartbeat passed and slowly, Ben came back; his arm resettling over Hux’s waist; chest pressed against his back; nose in Hux’s hair. Hux was happy with Ben’s decision and settled back against him again.

“Did you sleep okay?” Ben asked after a few moments.

“Like the dead,” admitted Hux.

“Me too.”

“Good.”

The conversation trailed off once more and they just continued to lie there in silence, contentedly spooning until the fullness of Hux’s bladder reached critical and Ben’s stomach started to gurgle loudly. Sighing, Hux squirmed in Ben’s arms.

“I need the bathroom,” he murmured.

Automatically, Ben released him; his arm sliding away from Hux’s waist again.

“Okay. I’ll make you some tea.”

Hux threw back the duvet and sat up, turning slightly to look at Ben for the first time since he’d fallen asleep next to him the night before. Ben looked quite beautiful first thing in the morning with his dark hair strewn across Hux’s pale blue pillowcase; brown eyes still hazy with sleep.

“Thank you,” Hux managed.

It was awkward the way they moved around each other – so cautious, as though the other was a bomb that might go off if handled incorrectly or was spoken to too loudly. Their relationship had changed drastically in a matter of hours, morphing into something new and fragile that neither of them knew what to do with; exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

The tea that Ben handed him was disgusting – the worst Hux had ever tasted in his life; too weak with too much milk.

“It’s nice,” he lied as he swallowed the first sip and quickly emptied the rest into the potted cheese plant as soon as Ben turned back to his toast with a pleased smile.

As he made himself a second cup while Ben demolished three stacks of toast in the kitchen, Hux was beginning to feel uncomfortable in the strained silence. They’d made breakfast together in the kitchen before in the midst of the odd truce, but it had felt normal back then. Today it was like they were two perfect strangers; like they didn’t know each other at all. Perhaps they didn’t; not really – in their past weeks of miscommunication and petty squabbles, it was becoming more apparent that they never really knew each other properly; something that Hux was determined to change.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Hux said as he poured the boiling water into his cup.

Ben looked up from his toast; startled.

"Do what?"

"Act all nice out of guilt."

"I'm not being nice out of guilt," Ben mumbled, his face flushing a pale pink.

Hux sighed and turned to face him, leaning back against the counter top.

"It's freaking me out,” he said, bluntly. “It's so awkward...we _can_ just act normal."

Ben’s eyebrows shot up.

"Are you saying I'm not normally nice?"

Hux rolled his eyes.

 "You're normally annoying, so it's good to see that part hasn't changed," he replied.

Ben smirked at him for a second before reaching out and wrapping his index finger gently around Hux’s. Hux glanced down at their linked fingers; took notice of how warm Ben’s hand was; and looked back up.

"Okay,” Ben admitted. “I fucked up and I'm guilty as hell...but I still would like to run you a bath if you want one."

Hux considered Ben’s offer. The night before, he’d come home desperate to soak in a bath, but the evening’s activities had prevented him from reaching his goal. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a good, long soak in scalding water. Eventually, Hux conceded.

"Just make sure the water is hot enough to boil a lobster in it."

"Yes, General!" Ben replied with a smirk, unwinding his finger from Hux’s in order to salute.

Hux shook his head in a mixture of disbelief and embarrassment as Ben disappeared into the bathroom and started running the water, leaving Hux to resume making his cup of tea. He stood, leaning against the worktop as he sipped the scalding brew with satisfaction. Ben’s attempt had been a sweet gesture but the beverage had tasted truly terrible. If this thing between them worked out positively, Hux would have to teach Ben how to make tea properly.

The realisation of his thought hit him with a jolt – despite the worst week, Hux was already picturing a future with Ben in it. Alright, so it extended only as far as teaching him to make decent tea, but it still surprised him. Hux had never thought anybody would ever like him enough to want to stick around and yet Ben did. Granted, he had been incredibly misguided in his venture to sleep with every redhead in the neighbourhood but Hux understood somehow that Ben had done it so that Hux would notice him; would give Ben his attention. The concept was somewhat sweet, even if the execution had been abominable – Hux could think of a hundred other ways in which Ben could have grabbed his attention, although if he stopped to think about it a little more, none of them would quite have had the same impact.

Either way, for better or worse, Hux and Ben were back on an even keel now – getting things out in the open and learning about each other properly. He didn’t want Ben grovelling at his feet over it – he just wanted to recover some kind of normalcy. Hux finished off his tea as he listened to the sounds of Ben clattering about in the bathroom and the sound of running water; a smile playing about his lips. It was amazing how much calmer he felt now. He still felt the underlying tug of anxiety at his father’s impending visit which wouldn’t be far away now, but now that he wasn’t fighting with his feelings for his flatmate Hux felt so much more in control.

He wandered into the bathroom just in time to find Ben kneeling on the floor, turning off the taps. The steam hit Hux the second he crossed the threshold along with the refreshing scent of orange that curled upwards with the hazy spirals. Ben turned and smiled as Hux closed his eyes and breathed it in.

“I found some kind of bath salt things in the cabinet,” Ben said proudly.

“How clever of you,” Hux drawled in reply.

Slowly, he stripped his t-shirt up over his head; paying no mind to the fact the Ben was still on the floor by the bath, staring at him. He remembered the way Ben had looked him the last time he’d seen Hux in the bath; remembered those large, doe eyes that roamed over every inch of Hux’s exposed skin and knew he’d get the same reaction now. He could feel Ben’s eyes on him now as he shimmied out of his underwear and kicked them aside, crossing the bathroom in a couple of strides before side-stepping a dazed Ben and putting one foot in the bath, and then the other.

The water scalded him but it was nothing Hux couldn’t handle. He preferred his baths as hot as they could get; just shy of causing burns. His skin turned red in an instant and he winced as he lowered his body into the tub, allowing the water to engulf in and awarding Ben with a very good view. Ben was still staring at him when Hux settled back against the rim; brown eyes almost black and pink cheeks that had nothing to do with the heat in the bathroom. It made Hux feel immensely powerful to know he could have this effect...that he could _still_ have this effect on Ben.

“I...should probably leave you to it,” Ben mumbled, finally averting his eyes.

Hux allowed himself a smirk before reaching out to catch hold of Ben’s wrist as he made to stand.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, gently.

Ben blinked at him in the second before Hux tugged at his hand, bringing Ben close as he tipped his head up and caught Ben’s bottom lip between his teeth. He smiled at Ben’s gasp of surprise mixed with pleasure; rolling the plump lower lip between his teeth for a second before letting it go. Ben’s brown eyes opened at looked at him curiously.

“We’re back this already?”

Hux made an amused noise.

“I said I wanted normal,” he replied playfully.

“You’re not normal,” murmured Ben.

“Neither are you.”

Ben smiled as he bumped Hux’s sharp cheekbone with his long nose.

“I’m always surprised by you,” Ben said. “Fucking weirdo.”

“Are you going to stay, or are you just going to insult me?”

“I can do both,” replied Ben with a grin. “They’re not mutually exclusive.”

“Oh, shut the fuck up,” Hux muttered, hand bunching up Ben’s t-shirt as he dragged Ben towards him, teeth sinking back into Ben’s lower lip for a split second before kissing him properly.

 

****

 

Ben had ended up almost as wet as Hux by the end. They had kissed a little, Hux’s wet hands bunching up Ben’s t-shirt and tangling in his hair for a while before Ben had settled behind Hux’s head, his back against the wall and he gently scraped his fingernails along Hux’s scalp. Now back in Hux’s bed, wearing substantially less clothing than the night before, the faced each other as fingernails softly trailed patterns on bare skin.

Ben had slept soundly in Hux’s bed, between the soft flannel sheets and warm duvet with Hux lying less than an arm’s length away from him. He didn’t know when he’d shifted in the bed and wrapped himself around Hux’s slim frame, but he was glad that Hux hadn’t pushed him away. Ben had lain there, staring at the strip of creamy pale skin between Hux’s hairline and the neck of his t-shirt; resisting the urge to press his lips to it. That part of Hux always looked so soft and Ben found it practically irresistible.

He hadn’t expected Hux to be like this. Mostly he’d expected Hux to give him the cold shoulder and make Ben beg for forgiveness. Instead, Hux had called for normalcy; he’d been playful and sexy which had made Ben want to drop to his knees for completely different reasons. Maybe Hux already knew that he didn’t have to be cruel to have Ben begging for mercy.

Ben felt so stupid. Finn and Rey had told him weeks ago to just sit down with Hux and talk to him. It would have saved so much heartache if he just had. All that time and Hux had actually _liked_ him; had cared about him and Ben had gone and caused him unnecessary hurt. He couldn’t even begin to fathom how relieved and happy he was that Hux was lying with him at that moment; his slim, delicate hands tracing the line of Ben’s bicep as they talked.

 “Hux,” he murmured, trying the name on his tongue to see if it felt any different now. “Is there another name that goes with that?”

“Not currently,” Hux replied with a small smile. “I never much liked my first name, so I never used it. Neither did my father, if I’m honest – I was always referred to by my last name, for as long as I can remember.”

Ben’s dark eyebrows arched upwards as his fingers connected the scattering of freckles across Hux’s collarbone.

“Sounds pretty crappy.”

Hux shrugged.

“It never occurred to me until later that not everybody had the same kind of childhood that I did,” he replied. “It’s always something I just lived with.”

“Well,” Ben replied with a sigh. “At least you didn’t get named after a weird old man who helped break my mother out of jail.”

Hux’s smile widened.

“Every family has its peculiarities.”

“Mine definitely has more than its fair share,” Ben muttered as he slid his hand over Hux’s smooth, pale shoulder. “My parents are actually...kinda famous, in a way.”

“Ah yes,” Hux mused. “If your grandfather was Anakin Skywalker then your mother must be Senator Leia Organa.” Hux thought for a moment longer and frowned. “Which also means that the weird old man you mentioned must have been General Kenobi!”

Ben gave him a wry grin.

“I might have been happier if they’d named me Anakin.”

“A little controversial,” Hux replied. “Being named after Ben Kenobi is still quite an honour.”

Anakin Skywalker had become a famous figure during the Imperial War, having first served the Republic before crossing over to the Empire and finally coming back to the Republic just before his death.

“Anakin was much more interesting, though.”

“Marginally,” Hux countered. “Is he the reason you wanted to do a history PhD?” he asked.

Ben sighed.

“I actually started out in politics,” he replied. “My grandmother was a senator...my mother was a senator. Nobody ever said it outright, but I always felt the pressure to do something similar. I was never going to be a musician or a painter or...I dunno...a nurse...”

“You would have made a terrible nurse,” Hux interjected.

“I know, but that’s beside the point,” Ben replied with a grin. “I felt like it was expected of me to go into that field; like people looked at me as the grandson of Padme Amidala and the son of Leia Organa and expected me to change the world the way they did. It’s not that I didn’t want to, but their way just wasn’t for me. I couldn’t dedicate my life to debating idiots on topics they know nothing about and yet insist they know better.”

“The biggest issue with democracy,” agreed Hux. “You sometimes wonder if things would have been easier if this was still the Empire – one person guiding the people and no clueless idiots trying to get their two credits’ worth on everything.”

“Yeah,” Ben murmured. “I was never going to be any good at that. So I moved onto philosophy and from there, I found my niche in history. I don’t know what I can possibly do with two history doctorates once I’m finished, but at least I can say I did it for myself.”

Hux nodded as his fingers smoothed down over Ben’s chest.

“I know what it’s like,” he said, quietly. “Having that pressure on you from a parent – when they expect you to be something you just can’t be...”

He trailed off and took a sip of his tea as Ben looked at him steadily.

“No offence,” Ben murmured after a moment. “But your dad sounds like a real dick.”

Hux let out a soft laugh.

“He is,” he replied. “He was never warm or affectionate – its possibly why affection scares me so much now; it’s not natural to me because he was always so cold.”

“You seem to be doing okay now,” Ben murmured.

Hux’s hand halted its movement, lying flat against Ben’s stomach; green eyes concentrated on his own fingers.

“Last week, I realised that I had a weakness for feeling your hands on me,” Hux admitted, softly. “It’s soothing, even when you handle me roughly. I’m just not used to wanting it...”

“You know you’re just fuelling my ego, right?” Ben said with a smirk.

Hux slapped him; green eyes finally lifting as he frowned.

“Unfortunately, that needs no more inflating.”

Ben grinned, shifting in the bed so that his arm was under the pillow, supporting his head. He loved Hux’s face at this distance – the tiniest, palest scattering of freckles over this nose and sharp cheekbones; those almond-shaped green eyes that contained minute flecks of amber and blue. He was gorgeous – all pale creamy skin, soft edges, and long limbs.

“Why do you like me?” Hux murmured after a moment. “What’s in this for you?”

His brow was creased as though it was a problem he’d be trying to solve for a while. Ben took a deep breath.

“Well, first of all, you’re really hot.”

Hux rolled his eyes and Ben smiled.

“No really – you are. You’re aware of how you move and how to use that to your advantage. I noticed that almost immediately. Another thing about you is...you make me feel safe; contained.”

Ben thought for a moment. Not very many people knew about his illness even though several had witnessed one or two of his episodes. People tended to look at him differently if he told them, but then most people he assumed Ben was ‘normal’ – Hux already understood that he wasn’t.

“I have Borderline Personality Disorder,” he explained, quietly. “I tend to get very intense emotional episodes that cause me to be desperately sad or incredibly angry and they can come on like a switch just got flipped. I can’t control them, they just happen. It...is a problem with relationships sometimes. A lot of people can’t handle it – I’m terrified of being abandoned...it’s probably why I tried everything I could think of to get your attention. Stupid, but...”

Ben trailed off and shrugged.

“You didn’t run away from that. You ran away from affection and attachment, but you didn’t run away from my mental issues. You stayed with me, you asked and gave me what I needed like nobody else ever has. You prevented me from hurting myself and brought me under some kind of control until it passed. Underneath the icy exterior, you kinda betray the fact that you have a heart.”

Hux huffed softly; his mouth quirking up at one corner.

“That explains a lot,” he murmured. “We make a good pair don’t we? Me, afraid of letting anyone get to close and you, afraid of people leaving you.”

Ben’s lips twisted into a wry grin.

“Yeah, I can see it being a challenge.”

Hux nodded again and shifted slightly. After a moment, his hand started moving again; fingertips gently tracing over Ben’s skin.

“I can’t change overnight,” Hux said, quietly. “Right now, I want to be close to you but I’m still fighting a lifetime’s worth of emotional repression. I _am_ trying, and I’ll keep trying but if I push you away it’ll be because I need some space.”

“Are you saying we have a chance?” Ben asked; the tiny spark of hope flickering in his chest.

“More of a chance than we did yesterday,” Hux replied. “We understand things about each other now that we previously didn’t – about why we are the way we are. It’s not going to be easy because we’re still very different people...but I think we can possibly balance each other out.”

Ben smirked slightly.

“So...that’s a yes?”

Hux rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Yes, you idiot. We have a chance.”

Ben’s smirk turned into a full grin as Hux moved, closing the space between them in the bed and winding his arms around Ben’s neck; their foreheads touching.

“My god, you’re frustrating,” Hux muttered.

“And yet, you’re still here.”

“I know. I must be mad.”

“Perfect,” Ben murmured as he wrapped his arms around Hux’s narrow waist, fingertips tracing the softness of Hux’s hipbone. “I couldn’t stand you if you were sane.”

“Do you actually know when to stop talking and actually kiss me?”

“No, I was waiting for y...”

Ben was cut off as Hux’s lips pressed firmly against his, silencing him but for the small groan of pleasure that bubbled up in his chest. With Hux’s hands threading into his hair and long, lean body pressed against his, Ben couldn’t care about ever coming up for air.

 

****

 

“I can’t hear anything,” Rey whispered to Poe and Finn who were wearing matching expressions of anticipation and frustration.

They had been taking turns to listen at the door of Ben and Hux’s apartment, hoping to hear a snatch of conversation or noise that would give them a clue as to what was happening inside. So far, the flat had been very quiet.

“I knew it,” Poe muttered, running a hand through his dark curls. “Hux killed him in his sleep.”

Finn slapped his husband on the arm and rolled his eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous – if he had, we would have heard him try to get rid of the body.”

Rey sighed and stepped away from the door, giving the two men a disapproving look.

“Oh ye of little faith,” she said. “It’s highly likely that they’re sitting down and having a civilised conversation like adults.”

Finn scoffed, quietly.

“When have those two ever been civil to each other?”

“Since I threatened Ben with a slow death if he started any drama,” Rey countered.

The three of them backed away from the door and mulled about at the foot of the stairs as BB-8 wiggled between their legs, his tail wagging fast.

“I know what we could do,” Poe suggested, leaning down to give the dog’s large orange ears a scratch. “We can send in BB-8 – if he comes back immediately or comes back looking sad that they’ve either killed each other or they’re still fighting. If he stays a while and comes home happy, they must be okay.”

“This isn’t a corgi detective agency, Poe.”

“Well, my only other suggestion is knocking on the door, sticking my head in and asking if they need a body bag or a box of condoms,” Poe retaliated.

Rolling his eyes, Finn picked up the round corgi and carried him to the door or Flat A; turning the handle and pushing BB-8 through the gap. With a happy wiggle, the dog disappeared.

“Now we wait – if he’s not back in five minutes, then we leave.”

 

****

 

Hux felt incredibly content under the warm covers with his body curled into Ben’s. They alternated between kissing and just lying there in each other’s arms; sometimes talking; most of the time just feeling the other’s skin under their fingertips. He was enjoying the closeness and the intimacy; the lack of pressure on him to do anything other than be in bed. It was easy to drift off to sleep when they felt so comfortable and warm.

It was a wet nose that woke him, startling Hux back into consciousness to the realisation that BB-8 had somehow managed to get into the flat and wriggled up under the covers to place himself firmly between Ben and Hux. His small, round body had already pushed Ben back onto his side, waking him rudely – he scowled at the happy orange corgi, even as BB-8 licked his face affectionately.

“Ugh!” Ben complained, sending Hux into a series of small, huffing laughs.

“I think he wants kisses too.”

“Well, he could have asked nicely,” muttered Ben as he pushed the dog away from him.

Unperturbed, BB-8 shuffled closer to Hux instead.

“How did you even get in here?” Hux asked the dog; receiving only a soft snuffle in response.

Ben rolled onto his back and huffily pushed his hands through his hair.

“That is the world’s greatest mystery – how does a short, fat dog open a front door?”

BB-8 continued to wag his tail; orange ears standing up straight and forward; tongue hanging out.

“You’re a menace,” Ben told him.

Hux smiled and ruffled up the hairs behind the corgi’s collar.

“He’s fine. He just likes us.”

Sighing, Ben rolled back over onto his side and joined Hux in giving the corgi some love. BB-8 rolled over, sticking orange legs and a white fluffy belly in the air for them to rub.

Hux had never really been a dog person until coming into contact with BB-8 – he found dogs to be boisterous, clingy, and needy; wanting far more attention and affection than somebody like Hux could afford. The corgi however, was something of an anomaly – he tended to stick very close to Poe when Poe was around, but if not, he was fine with flitting from person to person for a spot of attention before either settling down to sleep or moving on. Despite being initially very excited to see people, he calmed down fast and never uttered much more than the occasional yip. Besides, BB-8 was round and happy, and rarely failed to lift the mood.

They lay there, quietly; rubbing the large orange ears and fluffy belly until Ben’s stomach to grumble loudly. Hux looked at him, eyebrows raised.

“Hungry?”

“Starving,” Ben confessed. “What time is it?”

Hux rolled away from the corgi to glance at the clock on his bedside table, surprising himself at how long they’d lain there.

“About dinner time,” he admitted.

Ben groaned softly.

“Can we order pizza?”

“You’re planning on eating it in bed, aren’t you?” Hux replied; eyes narrowed.

“Pretty please?”

“In _my_ bed?”

“I won’t mess it up, I promise,” Ben replied; fluttering his dark eyelashes.

Hux sighed and looked at the ceiling.

“Fine, but if I find a single crumb between these sheets, I’ll kick you out and you won’t be coming back in.”

Ben grinned and threw back the covers, swinging his long legs to the floor and hurrying out of Hux’s bedroom to find a phone or a laptop with which to order dinner. BB-8 followed, jumping off the bed in a single athletic bound and leaving Hux to contemplate the perfectly defined muscles in Ben’s shoulders and back as he retreated.

He must have been going mad – first he’d spent the entire day curled around Ben and now he was permitting food in his bed. Hux wondered if he’d finally cracked under the pressure. He listened to the sound of Ben scouring the flat for wherever he’d left his phone the previous day and rolled his eyes – Hux’s phone was right there on the bedside table. They could easily have ordered pizza from that.

“What are you ordering?” he asked as Ben wandered back through a few minutes later; eyes glued to his phone screen and BB-8 trotting at his heels.

“Uh...Diablo? Vegetarian?”

“What about BB-8?”

Ben crawled onto the bed and back under the duvet, frowning as the short, round dog bounded up between them again.

“We have to feed the dog too?”

“Well, he’s in our custody,” replied Hux.

BB-8 looked at Ben; long pink tongue hanging out and ears up straight. Ben shrugged.

“Pepperoni with extra meat?”

The orange corgi sat up straighter.

“Perfect,” Hux said, reaching out to rub the dog’s long ears.

He was probably going to deeply regret feeding a corgi and Ben pizza in his bed, but he supposed once couldn’t hurt too much.

 

****

 

Phasma, Jess, and Poe sat at Phasma’s kitchen table, each nursing a cup of coffee with a stack of exam papers between them.

“She really did this all by herself?” Poe asked, awestruck as he scanned the answers on the final and most difficult exam. “Like, she wasn’t using a text book as a guide?”

Jessika shook her head.

“Nope, that’s all Rey’s work. She’s been curled up on the couch doing equations when she’s bored.”

Poe shook his head again, impressed.

“This is a final year exam paper,” he murmured. “After years of study, even half my students get below-par results on this. I mean, her knowledge of aerospace needs some work – the actual components and structure – but her mathematics are perfect.”

“It’s a shame she’s a former foster kid with no money or official primary qualifications to enter and study at the university,” Phasma said, innocently; taking a sip of her coffee.

Poe bit his lip. Rey was smart to the level of being a damn genius and he’d always known that. The fact that she’d lacked the opportunities in life that would have set her on this path a while ago was abhorrent. The university were unlikely to accept her if she applied.

“You can do something, right?” asked Jess. “She’s a natural at this – you can’t let her talents go to waste.”

“I can’t get her onto the degree course,” Poe replied, sadly. “Apart from not being unable to pay for it, she’s an uneducated kid as far as they’re concerned.”

“Can you tutor her yourself?” Phasma suggested. “Sneak her into the exams?”

Poe looked up from the paper sharply and stared.

“You know...there’s nothing in the rules against that. You can sit any exam in the world and they have to award you the qualification if you pass. You pay for your tuition, not for the qualification itself...”

“So we can do it?”

“If Rey wants to, then yeah,” Poe agreed.

Phasma and Jess looked at one another and grinned, just as the sound of four paws padding across the floor reached their ears.

“BB-8! My buddy!” Poe exclaimed; delighted to see his happy orange corgi trotting cheerfully towards him with something sticking out of his collar.

“What’s that?” asked Jessika as Poe scooped up his dog and unfolded the note.

“It says: BB-8 had been fed – he seems to rather like pepperoni pizza. As you can tell, Ben and I are not dead. Hux.”

“Very concise,” concluded Phasma.

“Well at least we know they’re not dead,” replied Poe. “And my buddy here seems happy enough, so they’re obviously not sad in there.”

“It’s about time they started getting along,” Jess said, sitting back in her chair in relief. “Although I wouldn’t have blamed Hux at all if he had killed Ben after what that boy pulled last week...”

“Enough said about that,” Phasma murmured. “They’re both idiots. We just have to hope they’ve realised that and moved on.”

 

****

 

Ben smiled as he slowly awoke to the realisation that his arms were full of warm Hux. Tightening his grip around the soft, narrow waist, Ben buried his nose into his favourite spot at the back of Hux’s neck; lips against the smooth, freckled skin at the base of his hairline. Ben inhaled deeply; his nostrils filling with Hux’s scent – clean and slightly spicy, like black pepper or cloves and sandalwood. He loved it; loved the way it wrapped around his brain and made him dizzy. Hux generally had that effect on him anyway.

He was amazed at the fact the redhead permitted Ben to spoon him in the first place. As far as he could tell, Hux enjoyed it; snuggling back against Ben’s chest; threading his fingers through Ben’s as they lay quietly together. Ben knew that he wasn’t quite forgiven just yet; that he’d be making it up to Hux for a long time; but he was happy that everything they’d done to each other for almost the last two months had been set aside so they could move forward.

“What is it about the back of my neck that’s so fascinating?” Hux murmured suddenly.

Ben startled – he hadn’t even known Hux was awake.

“It’s just nice,” he mumbled into strawberry blonde hair. “Its soft and smooth and smells so good...”

“Is that a fact?” Hux replied, his voice quiet but betraying a hint of amusement.

Slowly, Hux turned in Ben’s arms until Ben was looking into green eyes that held a certain curiosity.

“Is there anything else about me thats ‘nice’? Anything else you like?”

Ben grinned and turned his face to bury it into his pillow.

“You’re a monster, do you know that?”

“I have been told,” murmured Hux.

Those green eyes were still fixed on his; still questioning. Ben sighed.

“I like a lot about you,” he confessed. “Despite your prickly personality.”

“Like...?”

Ben laughed gently.

“Freckles. I love your freckles.”

“You must be the only one,” Hux responded dryly.

“And your hair – at least when it’s all natural. I don’t like the style you have for work. It’s too severe for your face.”

“It’s professional,” Hux replied, indignantly. “Unlike this beard...”

“I like the beard,” Ben murmured, reaching out to give it a gentle tug.

It wasn’t a real, bushy, biblical beard. More like a strawberry blonde fuzz; both soft and slightly scratchy.

“It looks positively barbaric.”

“It looks good,” replied Ben. “And I kinda like the stubble burn.”

Hux’s right eyebrow quirked upwards.

“Do you really?” he murmured.

Ben nodded, still grinning as Hux reached out and pulled at Ben’s bicep, rolling him fully onto his front and immediately attacking the back of his neck and ears. Ben gasped and chuckled at the gently scratch of Hux’s beard in contrast to the softness of his lips as he left a line of kisses that stretched from Ben’s hairline, all the way down his spine.

“Lift up,” Hux murmured as his mouth reached the waistband of Ben’s underwear.

Ben bit his lip and lifted his hips off the bed slightly, allowing Hux to pull his underwear down over the rise of his ass and down his thighs. Ben bent his knees so they could slip off fully and he bunched his hands up in the pillow with anticipation as Hux dropped his underwear to the floor and ran a hand gently over Ben’s buttocks.

The feel of Hux’s tongue between his ass cheeks made Ben cry out almost immediately. Hux’s fingers grasped firm handfuls of Ben’s ass and pulled his buttocks apart as he buried his face between them; tongue rough and warm and wet on his sensitive skin; that strawberry blond stubble gently scratching him.

“Oh fuck...” Ben moaned into his pillow. “Oh fuck, I love that...”

Hux hummed contentedly as he went to work. Ben had forgotten just how incredible Hux was at rimming. It had only happened once before – on the couch after an argument. Hux had made Ben come so hard and then left him there; sticky and breathless and dazed. He’d never been eaten out like that before and it wasn’t even a minute before Ben decided he didn’t ever want to be eaten out by anybody else for as long as he lived.

Hux’s talented tongue laved over and around; pressed against and delved inside of Ben. His mouth sucked, and his teeth nipped and that beard scratched Ben raw. Ben couldn’t shut up – couldn’t stop moaning and crying out in pleasure when Hux’s tongue did something particularly spectacular; couldn’t stop telling Hux how good it was.

“Oh fuck...do that again...oh fuck yeah...yeah, don’t stop...FUCK...”

Hux groaned softly, the sound vibrating against Ben’s skin as Hux pressed the flat of his tonge against the sensitive space and licked a long, wet stripe across it. The redhead’s gentle moans were driving Ben almost as crazy as his tongue – Hux sounded like he was eating the most delicious dessert ever; the thought that he was enjoying himself as much as Ben making the whole thing even more pleasurable.

Long, soft fingers wrapped around Ben’s cock, gently stroking him at the same pace as the tongue that was fucking him. Ben’s thighs trembled as he moaned loudly into his pillow; the tight coil of impending orgasm in his belly reaching its pinnacle. With a shout, Ben came hot and fast all over Hux’s fingers and sheets; that gorgeous tongue never ceasing until Ben was truly spent and his knees gave out on him. He collapsed on the bed, landing in the puddle of his own seminal fluid and groaned in disgust at the cooling stickiness that attached itself to his skin.

Panting, he opened his eyes as Hux collapsed on his back next to him. Wiping his chin and the stubble with his forearm; chest and face flushed; green eyes dark.

“Wow...” Ben breathed. “Do me a favour. Never get rid of that beard.”

Hux only laughed.

 

****

 

Rey stumbled out of Jessika’s apartment; hair a tangled mess and rubbing the sleep from her eyes; stopping dead when she saw Finn and Poe already leaning out of their front door, and BB-8 on the landing.

“Oh great,” she said dryly. “I’m not the only one who heard it, then?”

Ben’s moans could be heard clearly from Flat A; punctuated with the odd curse and exclamation of pleasure. Rey scowled, irritably.

“It is Sunday morning, for fuck’s sake...”

“Hey,” Poe replied cheerfully. “At least we know they made up!”

“I think I would have preferred the arguing,” she muttered. “What are they even...no wait, I don’t actually want to know.”

Finn grinned at her.

“I have an idea. Do you know that Hux can knot a cherry stalk with his tongue?”

“Oh, yeah!” replied Poe; brightly. “Remember Phasma once told us about when Hux had that young accountant over and he...”

“I DON’T WANT TO KNOW!”

Rey clapped her hands over her ears to block out any more of the story. Finn and Poe smirked at each other just as Phasma’s door opened and the disgruntled blonde looked up the stairs to find them all standing on the landing.

“Who wants to go out for breakfast?” Phasma asked.

“Me,” immediately replied Rey.

“Me.”

“Me, too.”

“I’ll get Jess,” Rey muttered, heading back into Flat D. “It’s her last day before she goes back to base and I’m sure she doesn’t want to spend it listening to those two shagging!”

 

****

 

“Noooooooooo!” Ben groaned, hanging onto the bathroom doorframe in despair.

Hux was standing at the mirror, sink filled with hot water and white shaving foam all over the lower part of his face; razor in hand.

“I told you, I can’t keep it,” Hux murmured, amused.

“But it feels so good,” Ben replied, sadly.

“Be that as it may, it looks unprofessional.”

“You’re doing this to hurt me, aren’t you?”

Hux smirked as he dipped his razor into the hot water and raised it to his face.

“I’d never do such a thing. I just can’t look like this when the Commandant visits – it’s only another thing he’d find fault with.”

Ben pouted but relented, folding his arms over his chest, huffily.

“Fine, but it still actually looks good on you.”

“Maybe I’ll consider regrowing it after he’s gone.”

“What would persuade you?” Ben asked, sweetly.

Hux turned to him, seriously.

“Cleaning my chair might be a start,” he replied.

Ben bit his lip. He guessed it was fair – he’d sullied Hux’s sacred chair so it was only right if he cleaned it. Besides, it was worth it to get that beard back. Ben would pretty much do anything to convince Hux to keep that thing now.

 

****

 

It was the strangest Monday Hux had ever encountered. He’d spent the third night in a row with Ben curled into his back and woken to the pleasant tickle of Ben’s warm breath and soft lips against the back of his neck. Hux had been almost reluctant to leave with Ben still sleeping soundly; spending too much time staring at his face in the murky early morning light. He found Ben’s face incredibly pleasing – the peculiar, mismatched features that shouldn’t have worked together yet somehow did; the moles dotted about his skin; doe eyes closed with dark lashes fanning over the tops of pale cheekbones. Ben was so pretty.

At work, he couldn’t concentrate properly and zoned out through several important meetings. Hux replayed the entire weekend in his mind – how he hand Ben had agreed to just act normally; how they had lain together; how they had talked and kissed and slept. It had been a huge step for Hux, first to admit his feelings in the first place and then to try and work through them. He’d enjoyed Ben’s touch; had felt comfortable with it in a way he’d never believed possible; had felt safe with Ben’s arms around him.

What would he do if he returned home from work and found Ben had changed his mind? They’d spent the whole weekend tangled up together and Monday was their first day back in reality. Ben could easily have spent the day thinking about it just as Hux had, and come to the conclusion that trying to work things out between them was more trouble than it was worth. The more the day progressed, the more Hux was sure he’d return home to find Ben’s things packed in boxes and a removal van parked out front.

Even the soothing train ride home did little to alleviate Hux’s anxiety; the familiar rocking and rattling of the carriages and the precise minutes between each station just blending into the background as Hux worried about what he’d come home to; so much that he almost missed his stop. He hastened home; forgoing his usual stop at the local supermarket for wine and forcing himself to slow down as he reached the top of the street. There was no removal van in sight.

Finally opening his front door, Hux heard a scuffle and looked up to see Ben almost falling through the living room doorway; his face a mixture of happiness and apprehension. Hux closed the door slowly, dropping his briefcase to the floor as he took a tentative step towards Ben.

“Have you been waiting for me to come home?” he asked.

Ben bit his lip, a hand flying to the back of his head to ruffle his hair, nervously.

“Uh...maybe.”

Hux took another step as he shrugged out of his suit jacket.

“Maybe?”

“Yes,” Ben replied, quietly. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Worried I might have changed my mind?”

Ben looked at the floor.

“Have you?”

“About letting you eat pizza in my bed ever again?” Hux murmured as he unfastened the cuffs on his shirt. “Absolutely – it’s never happening again. Everything else though? I still feel the same about that.”

“Oh, thank fuck,” Ben breathed, stepping through the living room doorway in an instant to push Hux back against the wall. “I thought you might have changed your mind about me...”

Ben’s lips brushed against the strip of bare throat visible above Hux’s shirt collar and Hux sighed contentedly; his hands already finding a stable hold in Ben’s hair.

“After all the trouble you’ve put me through?” he murmured. “Not a chance – I need to make sure you suffer.”

“Are you saying that being with you is torture?”

“I don’t know,” Hux admitted; head falling back against the wall with a soft groan as Ben’s lips latched onto his earlobe. “You’re the first test subject.”

Ben’s hands slipped down to Hux’s waist, tugging his shirt free of the waistband and slipping up underneath; soft and smooth and warm on Hux’s skin as his mouth hungrily worked over the small patch of visible neck. Hux loved it.

“Take me to bed,” he gasped.

Ben’s lips curved into a smirk against Hux’s skin.

“Really? That sounds a little desperate to me.”

“Oh fuck you,” Hux groused. “You’re never happy, are you? Maybe I _should_ change my mind...”

“No!” Ben replied quickly. “I’m sorry – I’m an idiot who doesn’t know when to stop talking.”

Hux smirked and pushed Ben back slightly, taking in the flushed pink of his skin and dishevelled dark skin.

“In that case,” he murmured. “I’m going to have to find a better use for your mouth tonight.”


	10. Chapter 10

The week passed quite pleasantly for Hux and Ben and their neighbours were happy for them, even if the purchase of earplugs was well discussed between them all. Although still nervous about his father’s visit, Hux seemed a lot more like his usual self; calmer and neater; sleeping better with Ben curled up into his back.

Ben was still doing everything he could to make up to Hux for his huge mistake the previous week. He wasn’t up early enough to make Hux breakfast in the morning, but he could at least make dinner even if Hux groused about the mess of the kitchen afterwards. Ben also brought Hux a cupcake from the speciality bakery near the University every day – always chocolate, and always accompanied by wine.

During their conflict, Ben’s training regime had slipped so while things were good, he took his practice sabres into the training hall. Occasionally Rey came with him – she was getting rather good at the Djem So basics and Ben was proud of her.

“So...” Rey huffed as Ben blocked a strike from her wooden sabre. “You and Hux finally made up?”

Ben couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face.

“Yeah...well...I guess so,” he replied. “I’m hopefully optimistic.”

Rey chuckled as she spun the sabre in a wide arc over her head and lunged in with another strike.

“Hopefully optimistic?”

Ben blocked, turned, and came back at Rey with a counter attack.

“I fucked up,” he admitted as the practice sabres clashed. “And we both have issues that we need to work through and find a way to live with. But so far, it’s going okay and I want to try and keep it like that.”

“That sounds fair,” Rey murmured.

They were quiet for a while as Rey worked to push Ben back until she finally knocked him to the ground, kicking his sabre out of reach as she triumphantly stood over him. Ben grinned.

“Well done,” he said, slightly breathless.

Rey helped him to his feet and they stopped for a break and a well-earned drink of water.

“You really like Hux, don’t you?” Rey mused as she handed Ben the water bottle.

“I’m not sure ‘like’ is the right word,” he replied with a shrug. “It’s more like...he gets me in a way nobody else ever has. It’s a kind of gravitational pull; a grounding influence. We don’t work together but somehow, when things align just right, we do. I just know that I want his attention on me; that when life fucks up, it him that I can go to and he’ll know how to handle it.”

“How romantic,” Rey drawled, sarcastically.

Ben laughed at her.

“We’re not Finn and Poe,” he replied. “It was never love at first sight or candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach. But we get each other even though we’re totally different...and the fact that we want to bang each other’s brains out helps things along.”

Rey grimaced.

“Yeah, you two could stand to be a little quieter with that. Sometimes I think you’re going to bring the building down.”

“Sorry,” murmured Ben, biting his lip guiltily.

Rolling her eyes, Rey stood up.

“As long as you’re happy, I guess. I’d rather you two be having happy, loud sex than angry, loud sex.”

Ben laughed and handed her a sabre as he put down the water bottle.

“Thank you,” he replied.

He’s always known he was a little on the loud side, but Hux was exceptionally good at what he did and Ben may have enjoyed himself a little too much. Maybe he could turn the volume a little...unless Hux did that thing with his tongue again, and then all bets would be off.

 

****

 

“Ben, come on!” Hux grumbled; tapping his foot impatiently as he stood by the main door to the building.

“You know, contrary to what you might think, I’m actually going as fast as I can,” Ben muttered in reply.

He still had one boot off and one arm in the sleeve of his jacket, hopping about as he tried to get ready. Hux sighed heavily just as Phasma popped her head out of the door of her flat. She looked at Ben in the doorway of Flat A, still trying to put his boots and his jacket on at the same time; and then at Hux who was still tapping his foot, impatiently.

“You going to the grocery store?” she asked.

“When Ben finally gets his shit together, yes,” Hux drawled.

Ben scowled at him in response.

“If somebody wasn’t rushing me out the door, I might have had my shit together. It’s not like the grocery store is going to close or run out of food at ten in the morning on a Saturday!”

Hux rolled his eyes again and Phasma shrugged.

“Can you get me some milk?” she asked, as though the exchange between Ben and Hux had never happened.

“Of course,” Hux replied.

Ben forced his other foot into its boot and let out a small noise of triumph.

“There! Okay, I’m ready.”

“Finally,” Hux muttered under his breath.

He turned to open the main door just as his phone rang in his pocket. Sighing, Hux fished it out and looked at the name on the display. Instantly, his blood turned cold.

“Jess.”

“Hux, hello,” said Jessika on the other end of the phone. “I’m sorry...”

“He’s on his way, isn’t he?”

“Yes. He just left the base – he’ll be about twenty minutes.”

Hux’s heart was beating fast, his blood pounding in his ears.

“Thank you,” he managed, hand shaking slightly as he ended the call and looked at Ben.

His flatmate-turned-lover was looking at him, concerned.

“Is everything okay?

“That was Jessika,” Hux murmured. “My father was at the Military base early this morning – she says he’s just left and is on his way here.”

Phasma, who had still been hanging around in her doorway, immediately sprinted upstairs – Hux could hear her hammering on the Damerons’ door. Ben frowned again.

“How long till he gets here?”

“Twenty minutes,” replied Hux.

He’d been waiting for this moment for weeks, but it still made him feel sick to know it was finally here. Worse still, Ben would be here to witness the abject humiliation that Hux experienced at the hands of his father. Perhaps this time, the Commandant would be pleased with him. Hux always clung to the hope that one time, his father would visit and be proud of him and his achievements.

Phasma was back downstairs within seconds; her face serious.

“I _can_ stop him from coming in,” she said gently, taking Hux’s hands in her own; blue eyes full of the same concern Ben had shown. “You don’t _have_ to see him.”

Hux looked at the floor, already feeling defeated.

“He’s my father,” Hux replied simply.

Phasma nodded, just as Finn, Poe, and Rey descended the staircase with BB-8 bounding ahead of him. The happy, roly poly corgi seemed to know immediately that Hux was not okay; leaning his rotund little body against Hux’s legs with a soft whine; usually-wagging tail, still.

“We’ll leave BB-8 with you,” said Poe as they all huddled around the doorway. “He helps...and we’ll all just be in Phasma’s apartment in case he tries anything.”

“Is he likely to?” asked Ben; still confused about the whole situation.

“You have no idea,” murmured Phasma.

She guided Hux back inside their flat and sat him down in his chair. Ben disappeared into the kitchen, wordlessly; occupying himself with filling the kettle and making sure that tea, coffee, and clean mugs were on hand. Hux was grateful for that – he might have broken a cup with nerves and that would have been one more thing for his father to find fault with.

Hux barely noticed his neighbours milling around him. BB-8 had jumped into his lap and leaned his head against Hux’s chest; big brown eyes staring up at him as Hux absently rubbed at long orange ears. The corgi was a comfort, he had to admit – his father hadn’t even arrived yet and already Hux’s blood pressure was lowering as he ran BB-8’s soft, silky ears through his hands. It would probably shoot up again the second the front door buzzer sounded.

“Do you want me to sit at Phasma’s with everyone else?” Ben asked quietly.

Hux glanced up, startled. He’d been too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice that Ben had left the kitchen and was crouching in front of Hux’s chair, by his knees. Ben’s brown eyes were filled with such concern that, if it had been any other time, Hux would have melted. As it was, he felt as numb as if he’d been immersed in a bath of ice for an hour; Hux could only manage to shake his head.

“No,” he murmured. “This is your home too – it’s not for anybody to chase you out of it.”

Ben nodded seriously, and reached out to squeeze Hux’s hand.

A small part of Hux’s mind wondered how strange this must be for Ben. All of his neighbours had been through a visit from the Commandant at least once and they all knew how it would go. Poe was probably already armed with chocolate fudge cake and Phasma would have a plentiful supply of merlot for when it was all over and Hux was in need of comfort. Ben, however, had no idea what to expect – the way everyone else was hanging around, nervously gnawing on lips and fingernails was enough of an omen of what was to come.

In his lap, BB-8 nudged Hux’s chin with the top of his orange head and Hux gave him a pet in return. It was so much easier with animals that with people – BB-8 didn’t need Hux to explain anything at all; he just offered his silent support and Hux took it.

The harsh buzz of the building intercom made Hux jump out of his seat, tipping the poor corgi to the ground as he stood; fists balled at his sides; fingernails digging into his palms.

“I’ll go,” said Phasma, calmly; drawing herself up to her full height. “I want to make sure he knows I’m here.”

Hux barely nodded as his neighbours herded out along with Phasma and Ben retreated into the kitchen. It had been a whole year since this had last happened and despite the notice he’d been given, Hux was not ready to face his father again.

 

****

 

Ben was already worried as he re-boiled the kettle for tea. He’d forgotten all about Hux’s father over the past week – they had been occupied with other things; getting used to the change in their relationship; with being happy. Now it was all crashing down again as Hux stood in the middle of the living room with his head bowed and his fists balled at his sides; waiting for the Commandant to walk in. From everything he had heard, Ben was honestly expecting some kind of monster – Rey had told him of the last time the man had visited and Phasma had been forced to throw him out before Hux had a breakdown.

The neighbours were now all huddled in Phasma’s apartment and he knew that Phasma was waiting just outside of their apartment door; listening and waiting to jump in if she needed to. The tension was awful – even Ben felt nervous.

“Stand up straight and stop fidgeting!” an unfamiliar voice barked from the living room, causing Ben to jump. “Always fidgeting with your bloody hands – completely unable to stand still.”

“Sorry, sir.”

Ben blinked in shock. Hux’s voice didn’t sound like him at all. Usually, it was a voice filled with sass and sarcasm, and quiet often with disgust and distaste but at that moment he sounded like some kind of android; voice void of all emotion. Abandoning his attempt at making tea, Ben moved to the kitchen doorway and looked through into the living room.

Brendol Hux had once been a very powerful man, but age and a less physically active lifestyle had turned much of his muscle into fat. He was tall and rounded; his hair, a dark auburn streaked with grey and a prim beard to match; his eyes, the same almond shape and green as his son’s, but filled with a contempt that Hux’s had never shown. He circled his son like a vulture; eyes looking over the tall, slim redhead who was now standing straight and with his shoulders back; arms by his sides and head up like a soldier.

The Commandant glanced up to find Ben staring at them both and suddenly the look of disgust was wiped from his face, replaced with something altogether more friendly.

“Hello,” Brendol Hux said to him. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.”

Ben stole a swift glance at Hux, but those green eyes were glazed over as though he was in a trance; never looking away from a fixed point on the wall ahead; BB-8 sitting at his feet like a small, round guard dog. Ben swallowed nervously and stepped forward, extending his hand in greeting.

“Ben Solo, sir,” he replied, politely.

Brendol Hux gave Ben a smile that reminded him a lot of a shark.

“No need to call me sir,” he replied. “Brendol will do. Are you a new lodger?”

“Yes, s...”

Ben caught himself just in time, swallowing the ‘sir’ before it could be fully formed. It was unnerving – the Commandant giving Ben permission to call him by his first name while Hux still called him ‘sir’ as though Brendol Hux was his superior officer and not his father. Ben was beginning to understand why everyone had been so concerned.

Brendol turned his head slightly and sneered at the figure of his son.

“My son should have introduced you immediately, but then he never was all that sharp.”

Hux didn’t even blink; still standing rigidly in the middle of the room as Brendol released Ben’s hand and sat down in Hux’s chair.

“Well? Do I even get offered a drink?”

“I was just in the middle of...” Ben started to say.

The Commandant cut him off with a raised hand; his head still turned so that he was looking at Hux out of the corner of his eye; mouth still curled into an ugly sneer.

“Sorry, sir,” Hux murmured again.

Ben watched in mild horror as Hux all but marched into the kitchen as though on autopilot; not even glancing at Ben as BB-8 trotted at his heels. Brendol turned back to Ben, smiling as though the exchange had never even happened.

“So, Ben...what do you do?”

“Uh...”

He didn’t know what to say; how to act. The man was treating his own son like he was a sub-par military aide and with absolutely no humanity. Worse still, Hux was just taking it – the Hux that Ben knew would have never stood to being spoken to and treated that way, so it was only more horrifying to realise just how beaten down and under control Hux’s father had him. Ben swallowed to quell the nausea that was rising in his throat; took a deep breath; and tried again.

“I...uh...I’m a PhD student,” he replied. “History of Modern Warfare – my thesis is focussed on my grandfather, Anakin Skywalker.”

“Is that so?” Brendol Hux mused; his eyes lighting up with interest.

He spent the next few minutes questioning Ben on aspects of his thesis; testing Ben’s knowledge. Ben assumed he’d passed some kind of test when Brendol eventually sat back in the chair; smiling like Ben was a favourite nephew.

“You see?” the Commandant said, directing his words to Hux who was walking back into the living room with a steaming mug of tea in his hands. “Ben made something of himself. You could have been this of you’d only shown some enthusiasm with your military studies.”

Hux said nothing as he placed the mug on a coaster and stepped back. Ben got the impression that Hux hadn’t been meant to respond. He watched as Brendol picked up his mug, took a sip, and grimaced.

“Disgusting, as usual,” he muttered, scathingly. “All these years and you still can’t get it right – too much sugar...not enough milk. Bloody useless.”

Ben’s fingers dug into the soft teal chenille of the couch. He understood now – Hux’s fear of being a disappointment to others; why he was so closed off. Hux had been subject to this kind of abuse since birth; treated as an inferior being and always compared to others in a less favourable light; ridiculed and told that he was worthless. Even for somebody as strong as Hux was, there was only so much you could put up with.

He barely had time to process it before Brendol was back to asking him questions on his thesis. Ben noticed that Hux hadn’t even sat down – still standing to attention and staring at the wall with BB-8 leaning against his leg; brown eyes fixed on Brendol and hackles raised. The whole thing made Ben sick and it only got more horrifying as the minutes passed. 

Hux seemed as though he hadn’t even registered his father sitting in his chair, or noticed that Brendol deliberately put his mug down on the coffee table instead of on the coaster. It was as though Hux had been replaced by a shadow of himself that did nothing but blink as the Commandant threw insults and vicious comments at him and in the same breath, was nothing but pleasant to Ben.

"...you seem like a polite boy, Ben," Brendol was saying, interrupting Ben's thoughts. "You make a better host than that one - he's beyond diabolical, bordering on insubordinate! What would his mother have said? Pathetic."

“Alright, that’s enough,” Ben growled; unable to stand it any longer. “I think its best that you leave.”

Brendol Hux’s green eyes grew suddenly cold as he focussed on Ben, fully; looking at him as if for the first time and not being impressed with what he saw.

“I see,” he murmured.

From his place by the wall, Hux seemed to come back to himself slightly; his eyes pleading as he looked at Ben.

“Ben...”

“No,” Ben said, firmly; getting to his feet. “I can’t let him to this to you any more – you deserve better.”

The Commandant’s eyes narrowed as he stood.

“This is how it is?” Brendol murmured, dangerously. “First, that giantess and now you - you both dare...”

“To stand up for somebody we care about?” Ben finished, angrily. “How dare YOU! He is your son – he’s smart and ambitious and he works damn hard but still you won’t see it.”

“Ben!”

Hux was back to digging his nails into his palms again; anxious. Ben wasn’t about to stop – he could already see Phasma in the living room doorway.

“How fucking dare you? This is also my home and I think you’re a deplorable human being – I want you out.”

Brendol Hux drew himself up to his full height and stared at Ben, coldly.

“Solo, wasn’t it? I shouldn’t have expected much from the son of a petty thief. You have no authority over me – you or that giant freak of a woman...”

“FATHER!”

Everyone jumped in surprise as Hux finally moved; head held high as he grabbed his father’s arm. Even Brendol looked at him in shock.

“That is enough,” Hux murmured. “It’s one thing to do this to me, but I won’t stand for you insulting my friends. I think it’s time that you left.”

Brendol Hux seemed speechless for a moment as they all stared at Hux. Then his lips curled into a sneer again.

“Where did this new spine come from?” the Commandant drawled. “Finally, you grew one after all these years, although I don’t for the life of me understand why you waste it on these people...”

Ben didn’t know he it was him or Phasma who moved first as Brendol Hux snarled out his last words. Phasma’s hands reached out and grabbed the front of the Commandant’s shirt just as Ben threw a punch; BB-8 yapping between their legs as though trying to break through and get in on the action. Ben didn’t know if his punch landed – he was numb with anger and couldn’t feel a thing as Phasma hauled the man away; her face stony.

“You’re not welcome here anymore,” she said as she bundled him out of Flat A and towards the main building door. “Don’t ever come back.”

 

****

 

It was as though his shell of ice had cracked and splintered and shattered to the floor around him, leaving Hux suddenly cold, vulnerable, and shaking. The only thing he could ever do when his father visited was pretend he was encased in a hard shell where no cruel words or insults could reach him. Hux shut down as much as possible so that he could endure the abuse for as long as he needed to.

His father’s conversation with Ben seemed to be happening a hundred miles away from him; their voices washing over him like water in a stream until Ben had stood up for him. The first cracks had appeared; the voices got louder as Hux realised what was happening – that Ben was speaking out against the Commandant on his behalf; defending him. Hux just couldn’t stand for it when his father had viciously turned on both Ben and Phasma – he could take anything his father threw at him, but he drew the line at insults directed at his friends.

Hux was shaking with a rush of fear and adrenaline. Never in his life had he spoken out against his father and only now that Phasma had escorted him out, was Hux beginning to realise the enormity of it – he’d just told his only family to leave and never come back. He didn’t even realise that he’d collapsed into his chair until he looked up at Ben – he was still looking at the empty doorway, fists clenched and trembling with anger. Hux released a shaky breath and buried his face into BB-8’s orange neck as the little corgi jumped onto his knee.

What had he done? He should have asked Ben to stay with the others; should have just faced him alone instead of letting him get involved.

Jumping slightly as a gentle hand touched his, Hux glanced up to find Phasma kneeling in front of him.

“Well,” she murmured. “Those visits just get shorter every year.”

Hux swallowed, hard.

“What have I done?” he whispered. “He’s the only family I have and now he won’t come back...”

“He’s not the only family you have,” Phasma replied. “I’m your family, and you’re mine. Us and Poe, and Jess, and Finn, and Rey, and Ben, and BB-8 – we’re all family. Just because we weren’t born to the same parents doesn’t mean that we’re not there for each other; that we don’t care and look out for one another. You are our family – we chose you, and that means more than a horrible man you were born to who couldn’t be civil to you for a single second of your life.”

Hux blinked at her, not quite believing what he was hearing. He’d only ever believed that his neighbours spoke to him because he lived there – it had never occurred to him that anybody but Phasma considered him as more than just their neighbour, much less their family.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Phasma nodded and gave Hux’s had a brief squeeze before getting gracefully to her feet. Behind her, he could see the others crowded around his living room door, wearing matching expressions of concern. Ben had finally unclenched his fists and was watching Hux, warily. Hux gave him a weak smile.

“Thank you, Ben,” he added.

Ben returned his smile, wryly; running his hand through his thick dark hair.

“Yeah, well...if anybody around here is going to insult you, it’s going to be me. I won’t stand for anyone else encroaching on my territory.”

Hux managed a huff of amusement.

“Of course not.”

He felt cold and drained, in desperate need of blankets and comfort food. Poe seemed to read his mind.

“Come on,” his neighbour said, cheerfully. “I have chocolate cake upstairs – lets all go watch a movie.”

“I’ll get the wine!” Rey chipped in, turning and running towards Phasma’s flat.

Ben held out his hand to help pull Hux up from the couch as BB-8 jumped from his lap. Hux took it gratefully. Phasma was right, he thought as Ben’s hand squeezed his – he had family.

 

****

 

An entire chocolate cake had been eaten and at least three bottles of merlot consumed when Phasma stole quietly away from Poe’s flat and pulled her phone from her pocket. The other three were dotted about the floor, watching a movie as Hux slept on their couch; curled up into Ben.

Quietly, she walked to the bottom of the stairs and dialled her friend’s number – it was answered after just a couple of rings.

“How did it go?” Jessika asked immediately.

“About as horrible as you could expect,” Phasma murmured. “Except this time he won’t be coming back.”

Phasma could hear Jessika’s sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness for that. How is Hux?”

“Shaken, but he’s alright. He’s sleeping off wine and chocolate cake with Ben on Poe’s couch.”

“Poor thing,” Jess replied, softly. “How he put up with that man for so long, I’ll never know.”

“Well, he stood up to him today. The old bastard turned his vicious insults onto me and Ben, so Hux told him to leave.”

Jess let out a low whistle.

“That took a lot of guts.”

“It did. I’m proud of him,” replied Phasma.

She knew it had taken a lot to finally let his father go, but nobody could have done it for him. It had been something that only Hux could have done, and then only when he was ready to do it. Breaking away from an abusive parent had to be hard, but Phasma was determined that her friend know he’d never be alone; that he always had people who would be there for him.

Hux just had to let himself adjust.

 

****

 

“Let’s go out today,” Ben murmured; his face buried against the soft, freckled skin of Hux’s shoulder.

They had been lying awake like this for about half an hour already; Hux with his back pressed against Ben’s chest and Ben’s arms around him; fingers tracing the soft curve of Hux’s ribs as the Sunday morning sulight filtered in through the curtains. Hux loved lying with Ben like this – it was soothing and calming; Ben, solid and warm at his back, pressing kisses against his shoulders and neck. Hux thought he could happily have stayed there all day.

“Go where?” he asked.

“I dunno...a date?”

Hux huffed softly.

“A date?”

“A kind of date,” Ben clarified.

Hux sighed and shifted in Ben’s arms. He’d never been on a date, and all images his brain conjured up were of candlelit dinners and trips to the cinema where couples spent the entire movie making out. Just the thought of it made Hux feel incredible uncomfortable.

“I don’t think I’m the date type.”

Behind him, Ben sighed softly and rested his lips against the boniest part of Hux’s shoulder as he thought.

“Okay. Scratch out the word ‘date’ and replace it with ‘go somewhere for the day’.”

“Again, I ask the question ‘out, where?’”

“Museum?” Ben suggested.

Hux stilled. He liked museums – they were quiet; usually not crowded; educational.

“Which one?”

“Military history?”

Hux smiled to himself and threaded his fingers through Ben’s.

“Smart choice,” he murmured. “Somewhere relevant to both our interests.”

“So is that a yes?”

“Yes,” Hux replied.

They got up and dressed at a leisurely pace; Ben throwing on jeans and a soft grey sweater as Hux selected clothing in complementary colours. Ben’s wardrobe consisted almost entirely or ripped jeans and washed-out t-shirts; his sweaters were soft but mostly stretched out and not short of a few holes in the cuffs or hem. Hux wondered if Ben had bought new clothes at all in the past ten years or if it was some kind of fashion choice to put holes in all of his new clothing. Either way, Hux thought they looked a strange pair – Ben in his washed-out, holey, casual clothes and Hux in khakis, button-down shirt with every button fastened, and a sweater that looked a little scratchy like it had never been worn before.

It was a mostly pleasant experience, being out in public with Ben. They matched pace as they walked; shoulders brushing as they sat together on the train. Ben did attempt to hold Hux’s hand once, but the sensation was a little too peculiar.

“People actually feel comfortable doing this in public?” Hux asked, rubbing his hand lightly on the leg of his pants.

“Surprisingly, yes,” Ben replied, amused. “It’s fine if you’re not, though.”

“I’m not,” Hux admitted.

If Ben had been offended by it, he certainly didn’t act like it as they continued their journey to the museum. Hux had never considered himself as boyfriend material before – he’d been largely dealing with one night stands for at least twelve years now and had no idea how to be in a relationship with somebody. Ben was patient with him though. After their talk the previous weekend, they seemed to understand each other a lot better – Hux knew not to make Ben feel like he was being shut out and Ben knew that Hux was going to need time and space to adjust.

He rather enjoyed himself at the Military History Museum. Ben knew an awful lot about the modern era wars, but Hux was more knowledgeable on weaponry – they spent hours talking to each other about it as they walked around, looking at every single exhibit in the place.

“Here,” Ben said with a grin as they passed the gift shop on the way out.

He made a lunge for the rows of small, clear plastic boxes full of tiny soldier figurines and pulled one out, handing it to Hux as he dug his wallet out of his pocket. Hux stared at it.

“Don’t say I never give you anything,” Ben told him as he passed money to the cashier.

“What the hell is this?”

“Stormtrooper,” Ben replied cheerfully.

“Really?” mused Hux. “Well, the helmet is all wrong for a Stormtrooper. It looks more like a trooper from the Clone Wars...”

“I can return it if you don’t want it.”

“Don’t you dare!” Hux replied, closing his fist around the ugly little figurine. “It’s mine.”

Ben grinned as he put his wallet away and they began to walk towards the exit; Hux still studying his tiny Stormtrooper. It really was the ugliest thing he’d ever seen.

“Blaster is archaic,” he muttered. “Armour is entirely the wrong colour. It’s a tiny atrocity – I love it.”

Ben laughed at him.

“You are so, incredibly weird.”

“Says the history nerd,” Hux replied with a frown. “I thought the inaccuracies would annoy you too!”

Ben just shook his head, still smiling as Hux pocketed the ugly little figurine; his thumb running over the rough bumps of its helmet.

“Are you hungry?” Ben asked as they made their way down the sandstone steps of the museum and out onto the street.

“Maybe a little,” admitted Hux.

He hadn’t thought much about food as they had wandered around the museum but now that Ben mentioned it, his stomach was beginning to rumble. Ben nudged Hux’s shoulder gently with his own and smiled.

“I know just the thing,” he replied.

Fifteen minutes later and Hux could have killed him. Ben’s idea of quick and easy food had been to buy a couple of jalapeño cheese pretzel dogs from a street vendor and eat them by the fountain in a nearby square. It was not the most dignified of snacks to eat, even armed as Hux was with a handful of paper napkins. At least he was trying to approach eating the pretzel dog with some semblance of elegance and dignity, whereas Ben was just stuffing his face.

“You’re getting that thing everywhere but your mouth,” Hux told him, nose wrinkled in disgust.

“’M ‘ungry...” Ben mumbled around a mouthful.

“It’s still not an excuse to swallow without chewing,” Hux chastised. “Here, let me just...”

Shaking out a paper napkin, Hux reached forward to dab the greasy, orange trail from Ben’s mouth to his chin as Ben swallowed his mouthful. He was concentrating too hard on cleaning Ben’s face to notice Ben leaning forward, and Hux let out a squeak of indignation as Ben kissed him, covering Hux’s face in cheese grease too.

“UGH!” Hux spluttered, throwing the used napkin at Ben’s face as he snatched up a clean one to wipe his own chin.

Ben almost fell backwards into the fountain from laughing.

“That is by far the most disgusting thing you have ever done.”

“I’m sorry,” laughed Ben. “I wouldn’t do it, except your scandalised face is too good not to witness.”

Hux scowled at him and turned his attention back to his pretzel dog as Ben continued to chuckle to himself. The snack was really quite tasty, despite the oozing orange grease from the hot dog and the cheese. Hux couldn’t imagine it being too healthy – his cholesterol level wasn’t going to thank him for it, that was for sure.

They sat side by side on the edge of the fountain, Hux cleaning grease from his fingers and Ben drinking the majority of a bottle of soda in one go. After a while, Ben spoke again.

“I’m sorry your dad is an asshole,” he murmured.

Hux glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. They hadn’t spoken of it since the Commandant had been forcefully escorted from the building by Phasma the previous morning. Hux could put up with whatever his father threw at him – he was used to the abuse and it mostly just washed over him by this point, but he couldn’t stand for his friends to be insulted too. His father had gone too far in insulting Ben and Phasma, and finally Hux had told him to leave. It had taken a lot of years, but Hux had finally realised that his father no longer had a place in his life.

“It’s not your fault,” Hux replied gently.

“I know,” said Ben. “I always felt like my relationship with my dad was a little strained, but yours is something else.”

“I’m sorry he insulted your father.”

“Ah, it’s okay. I mean, my dad _was_ a petty thief at one point and he still has some pretty shady hobbies.”

Hux smiled and looked down at his clean fingers.

“We should go for lunch sometime,” Ben continued quietly. “My parents would like you.”

Shaking his head, Hux sighed.

“That’s probably not a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not likeable,” Hux explained. “I’m not like Rey or Poe with their sweet, immediate charm. I’m difficult and people don’t like me.”

“I like you,” Ben murmured.

Hux threw him a pained look.

“Barely.”

“Alright, I like you when you’re not being a total asshole,” Ben laughed.

“That’s more truthful.”

Ben sighed, reaching over to gently brush the edge of his fingers against Hux’s knee.

“You’re wrong, you know,” he murmured. “People do like you – Phasma and Poe and Jess, Finn and Rey...and even me.”

Hux glanced at him.

“They all like you,” Ben continued. “You just have it in your head that you’re some kind of monster and you’re not. Yes, you can be difficult but you also have people who like you anyway.”

“You really think your parents would approve of me?”

“Why not?” Ben insisted. “My dad is a little flaky, but he’s been like that since his early twenties. My mother is a badass – you’d like her. She plays chess.”

Hux looked up, interested.

“Of course she does,” he murmured.

Senator Organa was a very intelligent woman who had essentially ran an underground resistance in her late teens during the last days of the Empire. She knew strategy – it made sense that she was a chess player.

“So? Should I tell her we’ll come for dinner next week?” Ben asked.

Honestly, all Ben Solo had to do was flutter those long dark eyelashes on his pretty doe eyes and Hux felt like rolling over. He took a deep breath and hooked his little finger around Ben’s.

“Alright,” he agreed.


	11. Chapter 11

Leia Organa descended on the ringing telephone in the hallways and swept the receiver up, gracefully; nudging her hair out of the way as she pressed it to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey, mom.”

“Ben!” she replied, happily; glad to hear her son’s voice. “You know, I was actually just about to call you about this thing with Snoke? I’ve been onto the University and the Dean is appalled – apparently this is not the first time Snoke has ever been accused of manipulating students and using them to do all the hard work for him. It’s just that nobody has ever had irrefutable proof, until now. She said that they’d have to conduct an investigation and there’ll be tribunals, but we can get him for this. I’ll make sure of it.”

On the other end of the phone, Leia could swear she could hear Ben’s smile.

“Really? That’s great.”

“Yes,” she responded with a small nod. “Anyway, here’s me just yammering on when you’re the one that called me!”

“Uh...yeah,” Ben replied. “It was just...uh...I was wondering if I could bring somebody over for dinner?”

Leia’s face lit up.

“Of course you can! Is it Rey?”

Behind her, Han suddenly appeared as though summoned by a spell – tall and looming over her shoulder; leaning down to hear the telephone conversation.

“Rey’s coming?” he said excitedly.

Leia shushed him with her hand.

“Uh, no...it’s not Rey.”

“Bring Rey anyway!” Han bellowed into the phone.

Leia smacked him on the chest, irritably, and pushed him away.

“Oh?” she said whilst still trying to shoo away her husband.

Ben paused on the other end of the line, as though trying to find the right words.

“You know the other week when I was over?”

“Yes...”

“When I told you about the...situation with my flatmate?”

Leia’s perfectly shaped eyebrows arched upwards as she looked at Han. Her husband drew close to the receiver again and this time she didn’t push him away.

“Yes...”

“Well we...kinda worked things out,” Ben finished; awkwardly.

“Really? Oh Ben, that’s wonderful!”

Han rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath about Rey. Leia scowled at him.

“Yeah,” replied Ben. “It’s still pretty early days, but it’s going okay. I just...I dunno – his dad visited the other day and he was the most horrible asshole I have ever met in my life. Hux was in pieces. I’ve never seen him like that before and I just wanted to...I dunno...I wanted you to meet him. I wanted _him_ to meet _you_ – I think he’s spent his whole life as a military cadet and he doesn't know what an actual family is...”

“Hold on a second,” Leia interrupted; frowning as she processed the information. “Hux? Are you talking about Commandant Brendol Hux?”

Han blinked at her.

“Uh...yeah,” Ben murmured. “Do you know him?”

“Unfortunately,” Leia muttered, darkly. “And you’re right – he is the most deplorable human being. I’ve been trying to bring to light the horrible conditions his cadets are put under; the enormous pressure; the _brutality_.”

“Yeah, I have an idea about what that’s like,” Ben replied in a matching tone.

Leia sighed.

“The Senate maintain that he still produces the finest young officers they’ve ever seen, so they won’t investigate him. Your boyfriend is his son?” she asked. “That poor boy.”

She’d had several run-ins with Commandant Hux and she hated him beyond words. How that man had ever maintained custody of a child after his wife’s death, Leia would never know. She wouldn’t entrust him with custody of a salami, never mind a human being. Goodness knows what kind of upbringing the Hux boy had, especially if the Commandant had used him as a guinea pig for his training methods.

“Anyway, I just wondered if I could bring him over at some point,” Ben pressed; interrupting Leia’s thoughts.

“Of course,” she replied. “How is Saturday for you?”

“Perfect!”

Han leaned over Leia’s shoulder, mouth close to the receiver.

“Bring Rey!”

“He’s not bringing Rey – he’s bringing his new boyfriend,” Leia said irritably.

“Then bring Rey too!”

Leia slapped him away from the receiver. Han just grinned at her like this was the most fun he’d had in ages. Ben laughed on the other end of the phone.

“If I brought Rey with us, I might as well bring along everyone in the building,” he joked.

“That’s a great idea!” Han enthused.

Leia Organa sighed heavily. Sometimes she wondered why she’d put up with her husband for the last thirty years.

 

****

 

In the end, it was Finn, Poe, and Rey who were to accompany Hux and Ben to dinner that weekend. After listening to his parents squabble with each other for at least ten minutes over the phone, Ben had pointed out that Hux might actually feel more comfortable with other people that he knew around him. It would both detract the sole focus away from him and hopefully put him at ease with people he was familiar with.

All the same, Hux was still nervous – walking around the flat with his nails digging into his palms or rubbing his hands repeatedly over the soft corduroy of his trousers. Ben had noticed Hux’s ticks before but only now was he beginning to understand them.

“Hey,” Ben murmured, catching Hux’s hand as they passed each other in the living room; Hux still damp and skin pink from his shower; towel wrapped snugly around his rounded hips.

Hux started slightly at the unexpected contact; lost as he had been in his own thoughts. Sea-green eyes met Ben’s and Ben smiled, encouragingly.

“If you’d rather not go...”

“No,” Hux replied quickly. “I do want to go it’s just...I get like this.”

“I know,” murmured Ben as he turned Hux’s hand over in his own.

Hux’s skin was always smooth and soft and cool; his hand, smaller than Ben’s but their fingers still slotted together perfectly. He traced the bumps of Hux’s knuckles gently with his fingertips; Hux’s eyes transfixed by the touch. Eventually, the redhead sighed.

“I’ll be fine,” Hux said. “I’m just not used to being...”

“A boyfriend?” Ben finished with a smirk.

“Exactly,” murmured Hux. “I don’t even know what’s appropriate to wear.”

Ben felt his insides grow warm with happiness – it was the first time since the nature of their relationship had changed that the word had been used. Ben was thrilled that Hux hadn’t shied away from it at all.

“Just wear whatever you feel comfortable in.”

Smiling, Ben lifted Hux’s hand to his face; feeling the soft, smooth skin of Hux’s palm against his cheek for a few seconds before turning his head and pressing a small kiss against it. Hux rolled his eyes.

“You’re getting soppy on me, Solo,” he murmured.

“You love it, really.”

Hux may have been terribly uncomfortable with affection being shown in public, but when it was just them alone in their flat, Ben knew that Hux enjoyed being held; being kissed. Grinning, he let Hux’s hand go and headed for the bathroom for his own shower.

With Hux running the schedule, Ben knew that the pair of them would be ready to leave right on time. The same could not be said for the others.

“Poe is still in the bath,” muttered Rey as she turned up at their door, half an hour later; her hair loose about her shoulders instead of in its usual ponytail; a simple dark blue dress hugging her tall, slim frame.

She looked annoyed.

“He does know that we’re meant to be leaving in five minutes, right?”

“Yes, but apparently he has to look perfect for meeting Leia Organa,” Rey replied, rolling her eyes.

Ben sighed.

“Tell him to get his ass out of the bath right now or we’re leaving without him,” he said.

Rey left; thudding heavily up the stairs as Hux emerged from his bedroom, looking positively dreamy as far as Ben was concerned. Hux’s hair was styled the way Ben loved it – the longer lengths of strawberry blond pushed gently back from his face with minimal product, giving his hair a bit more buoyancy and fluffiness.

“Is that...my sweater?” Ben asked, looking Hux up and down.

The redhead was wearing a dark green, soft wool sweater that looked awfully familiar and slightly too big for him; the pale blue of a soft-collar shirt visible over the neckline. A slight rose blush rose to Hux’s face.

“Yes,” he replied softly. “You said to wear whatever I felt comfortable in and I’m comfortable in this.”

Ben couldn’t help but smile. He had worn that sweater earlier in the day, fresh from the wash – it probably still had the scent of fabric softener clinging to it as well as a faint smell of Ben. He tried not to pay too much attention to the fact that Hux felt more comfortable in Ben’s clothes right now than his own. Besides, the dark green of the sweater brought out the green in Hux’s eyes; made his red hair pop and those pale freckles stand out against his pale skin.

“Okay,” Ben murmured. “Apparently, Poe is still in the bath.”

Hux scowled, irritably.

“Of course he is. Probably preening like a peacock.”

“It’s okay if we’re a bit late,” Ben reassured him. “My parents won’t mind.”

Hux nodded, more out of acknowledgment that Ben had spoken than anything else. He was digging his fingers into his palms again.

“Hey,” Ben murmured, catching Hux’s hands in his and smoothing out the crescent-shaped indents from his palms. “Don’t worry about it.”

Hux looked at him for a moment before nodding again and sagging slightly against the wall of the hallway, his eyes dropping to watch as Ben’s thumbs continued to stroke over his palms. After a few seconds, they heard footsteps running upstairs and Rey shouted to them over the top of the staircase railing.

“Poe says he’ll be fifteen minutes!”

“Okay!” Ben called back, still not taking his eyes from Hux’s face.

The footsteps retreated and Ben grinned, suddenly struck with an idea.

“Fifteen minutes – I’m pretty sure I know of a good way to distract you for fifteen minutes.”

Hux raised a single eyebrow as Ben’s hands lifted the hem of the soft green sweater and grasped the buckle of Hux’s belt, unfastening it slowly when Hux didn’t protest.

“Fifteen minutes?” Hux murmured as Ben’s fingers made short work of his belt and pants; pushing fabric to the side as Ben sank to his knees. “That’s optimistic.”

Ben smirked as he looked up at Hux and leaned forward to push his lips over the front of Hux’s underwear. Those green eyes were already dark; his breathing becoming shallower by the second.

“Not really,” Ben replied, softly; his lips still tracing the outline of Hux’s rapidly-hardening cock through the soft cotton. “I’m pretty good at this.”

“I’m yet to be shown proof,” said Hux, softly.

Ben grinned and pushed away the last layer of clothing so he could wrap his lips around a warm, solid cock. Immediately, Hux’s hands were in Ben’s hair; a low, drawn out groan resonating in his chest as Ben’s lips enveloped the head and suckled gently. It was velvet-soft against Ben’s tongue and Hux’s skin tasted clean. Closing his eyes, Ben swallowed a little more down and sighed, contentedly.

Once, about ten years ago, Ben had been told his mouth was perfect for giving blow jobs and Ben had been making good on that ever since. His mouth was wide; his lips, large and soft; and best of all, he seemed to lack a gag reflex – he’d never once had complaints. Hux’s fingers tangled in the back of Ben’s dark hair, soft gasps spilling from his mouth as Ben took his cock all the way to the back of his throat with ease until his nose touched the coarse hair at Hux’s pubic bone. Slowly, Ben’s eyes opened and he looked up to find Hux’s eyes on him; large and dark and hazy.

Ben held his gaze, swallowing steadily around the cock in his mouth, enjoying the heaviness against his tongue and the way Hux fought not to close his eyes every time the pressure on him tightened and released. Ben could have stayed there all day – it was a shame they had a schedule to keep to. Slowly, he drew back and stopped halfway along the shaft before pushing back down. The resulting huff from Hux and the sharp tug on Ben’s hair was more than satisfactory and Ben gently groaned at the delicious sensations.

He worked at a fair pace, taking cues from Hux’s faint sounds and the fingers in his hair – how they twisted and released; fingernails that dug into his scalp and scraped along the sensitive skin when Ben did something that Hux particularly liked. Ben couldn’t stop looking at him; the angle making him dizzy as he tried to keep his eyes on Hux’s face even as he moved. Hux’s face was flushed; teeth digging into his lower lips so hard it turned white; the tiniest of moans spilling from his mouth as Ben’s lips slid wetly over his shaft.

Hux loved it when he pulled off completely; lips tugging at the soft foreskin at the head before enveloping it again and sliding all the way back to the base. Ben loved it just as much when Hux’s sea-green eyes flew open and locked onto his; his mouth open lightly as he panted and pushed Ben’s hair back from his face, tenderly. Hux’s thighs trembled under Ben’s hands; his cock occasionally twitching as he got close to orgasm and Ben backed off on the pressure; slowing down. Four times, he brought Hux to the brink, watching his eyes flutter closed as his head tipped back against the wall and the fingers in Ben’s hair loosened their grip, warning him to slow down; to make it last as long as possible.

He was more than ready when it happened – feeling the familiar pulse of the vein in Hux’s cock against his tongue as he swallowed around it; the head nestling in the back of Ben’s throat. This time, Hux’s fingers stayed tightly twisted in Ben’s hair; his breathing, fast and shallow as Ben drew back and groaned loudly as he felt the first drops of bitter-salt hit his tongue. Ben loved it; gently suckling at the head of Hux’s cock as he swallowed down, hungrily; eyes fixed on Hux’s flushed face as he gasped and shuddered through his orgasm.

Carefully, Ben let the heavy flesh fall from his mouth and carefully tucked everything back in, just the way it had been before slowly getting to his feet. His legs had gone numb from kneeling on the hallways floor but he forgot all about that when Hux reached out, grabbed the front of Ben’s shirt, and pulled him in for a kiss. Ben moaned softly; the heels of his hands digging into the bony protrusions of Hux’s hipbones as Hux’s tongue forced it’s way between Ben’s lips and pressed against his; tasting himself. Ben’s legs were jelly by the time Hux pulled back, looking at him with dark eyes; his freckles turned to gold under the rose of his heated skin.

“Fuck,” Ben murmured. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

Hux blinked; eyes searching Ben’s face carefully.

“You know,” Hux replied; his voice raspy, “that’s the second time you’ve said that to me.”

Ben raised his eyebrows as Hux’s arms wound around his neck; gracefully.

“Is it?” he asked. “When was the first time?”

Hux was still panting slightly; chest rising and falling under Ben’s green sweater rapidly as he spoke.

“The first time I kissed you,” he murmured. “You said that and...I thought you were making fun of me.”

Ben bit his lip. It made sense now – after everything he’d learned about Hux, Ben finally understood why he’d been so coldly brushed off that first time. Hux had never been told that he was worth anything; never let anybody close enough to see behind the icy exterior. It had probably come as a shock...like Ben had been trying to get something from him by manipulation.

“I wasn’t,” Ben replied. “I’m not.”

Hux looked at him for another long moment before the corner of his mouth twitched upwards into a miniscule smile and he nodded, leaning forward to kiss Ben again; softly; slowly.

Ben missed the sound of footsteps and chatter from the staircase so he and Hux both nearly jumped out of their skins as Rey’s head appeared around the open front door.

“Poe is finally ready!” she trilled cheerfully. “His hair is sitting in perfect, meticulous curls so fuck help us if it’s raining or windy.”

Ben and Hux jumped apart, guiltily; Hux smoothing down the soft wool sweater while Ben’s hands flew immediately to his hair in an attempt to flatten down the clumps he knew would be sticking up. Rey’s expression turned from cheerful to disgust in an instant.

“Oh, please tell me you’ve not been doing what I think you’ve been doing.”

Finn and Poe immediately both popped into view, taking in Hux’s flushed cheeks and Ben’s dishevelled hair and breaking into identical grins.

“Oh, leave them alone Rey!” Poe said; nudging her. “Gotta pass the time somehow!”

Rey’s mouth dropped open as she looked from Ben and Hux to Poe; threw up her hands in defeat; and walked away without another word. Finn and Poe followed her, snickering to each other with a roly poly orange corgi squirming in Poe’s arms.

Taking a deep breath, Ben held out his hand to Hux.

“You ready?” he asked.

Hux glanced down at Ben’s hand for a moment before he reached out and took it, threading their fingers together.

“As I’ll ever be,” he murmured.

Ben grinned as Hux took a deep breath, and together they followed their friends out of the building to hail a taxi.

 

****

 

“Poe...seriously?” Finn asked with an exasperated sigh as his husband burst out into another fit of gleeful giggles.

“I’m sorry!” Poe replied, burying his face in his hands as Rey laughed at him. “It’s just...I’m about the meet Leia Organa. Have you any idea how long I’ve wanted to meet this woman? She’s like...my idol!”

Finn shook his head fondly. His husband was such a nerd but Finn loved him more than anything. Releasing his hold on the wriggly corgi in his lap, Finn reached over and squeezed Poe’s hand.

“You’re so weird,” Ben told him; one eyebrow raised. “You’re all weird! They’re just my parents!”

“Yes, but your parents were almost singlehandedly responsible for the start of bringing down the Empire,” replied Poe, excitedly. “They are legends.”

Ben shrugged and looked out the window.

“Well, my mother is at least.”

Rey made a scandalised noise and reached over to playfully slap Ben’s knee – Finn knew from her ravings a few weeks ago how much she’d taken to Han Solo as though he was the father she’d never had. If Ben’s parents were the type to practically adopt a former foster kid on their first meeting then they had to be amazing people. Finn just hoped they would warm to Hux just as much.

The redhead was sitting in the taxi, staring at his hand; fingers linked loosely with Ben’s. It was kind of amazing how fast those two reconciled considering the monumental fuck up of two weeks ago. It wasn’t as though their relationship had come out of the blue – it had been evident to everyone since the first week Ben had moved into the building that the two had been attracted to each other; it’s just that they were incredibly shitty at communication. Ever since they had made up, they change over the two had been dramatic. They actually seemed happy with each other.

Finn was pulled from his musings abruptly as the taxi pulled to a stop and he looked out of the window, jaw dropping as he took in the house and grounds beyond the tidy pavement.

“Holy crap...”

“Uh huh...” replied Poe, over Finn’s shoulder.

They all piled out of the taxi, topping out in front of a wrought iron gate that penned in a flat expanse of green lawn and a white-paved path framed with rose bushes that led up to a large house. Both Finn and Poe stared at it, Rey giggling beside them.

“That was exactly my reaction,” she said to them.

Finn shook his head in disbelief as he lowered BB-8 to the ground and watched the corgi head straight for the gate.

“Ben, I can’t believe you grew up here,” he murmured.

“Seriously, Finn – it’s just a house,” Ben replied, giving him a gentle shove forward between the shoulder blades.

“It’s a big house.”

It seemed to take an abnormally long time to walk down the path to the front door; Poe nervously tugging on his curls to make sure they were just right. Finn caught his hand and lowered it, giving it a soft squeeze.

“Stop fussing,” he murmured as Rey rang the doorbell. “You look gorgeous and you know it.”

Poe flashed Finn his best smile – the one that showed the tiny gap between his front teeth and made Finn’s knees go weak. He would never ever get over how beautiful his husband was.

Suddenly, the door was pulled open and they were bathed in a soft yellow light from inside the house; forming a halo around the woman in the doorway. She was small with slightly-greying dark hair pulled up elaborately; with Ben’s mouth and dark eyes – undoubtedly Leia Organa. Finn heard Poe’s audible gasp and tried hard not to roll his eyes in amusement. Immediately, Rey moved forward.

“Leia!”

“Rey! My darling girl, it’s so good to see you again!” Leia replied, delightedly; her arms drawing Rey into a tight hug.

Finn grinned and squeezed Poe’s hand again as Rey stepped aside and turned to introduce them both.

“Leia, this is Finn and Poe Dameron...”

“So honoured to meet you, Senator Organa!” Poe gushed; dropping Finn’s hand as he surged forward to snatch up Leia’s and shake it enthusiastically.

Leia Organa’s dark eyes widened in surprise but she laughed; clasping Poe’s hand, warmly.

“Why, thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Please excuse my husband’s enthusiasm, Senator,” Finn said with a grin as he disentangled Poe’s hand from hers. “He’s a fan.”

“That’s alright,” Leia laughed as she shook Finn’s hand in turn. “But I insist you all call me Leia.”

Finn could almost hear Poe’s internal scream of joy over BB-8’s sharp yip as the round corgi barrelled through their legs to jump up at the woman standing at the doorway.

“And who is this?”

“Oh, this is BB-8,” replied Poe.

Leia bent over to give the long orange ears a gentle rub and BB-8’s tail began to wag so fast that it turned into an orange blur.

“Good to meet you too,” she said to the dog.

Finn had pretty much forgotten about Ben and Hux until she straightened and looked directly over Finn’s shoulder; her smile turning softer as she saw her son.

“Ben...”

“Hey mom...”

Poe, Rey, and Finn all made way for Leia Organa to hug her son; Ben stooping over so that she could embrace him.

“And you,” she said, turning to the tall redhead standing nervously to the side, “must be Hux.”

Hux was standing ramrod straight; his hands balled into fists at his sides and his face a blank mask. Finn and Rey exchanged a concerned glance.

“Pleasure to meet you Senator Organa,” Hux replied, stiffly; his eyes not quite meeting hers as they shook hands.

Finn repressed the urge to groan. They all knew that Hux was a decent person, but at first meeting he tended to appear standoffish and almost rude. Thankfully, Leia Organa made no indication that she thought either of those things about him.

“Leia, please,” she said gently. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too. Come inside and we’ll fix you some drinks.”

Leia allowed them all to go ahead of her into the house, BB-8 bounding ahead until he suddenly skidded to a halt around the corner of the hallway, coming face to face with a wolfhound four times his size. Small, round, orange dog looked at the large, shaggy beast with curiosity; long ears facing forward and tail wagging. BB-8 yipped and the wolfhound replied with a long, almost deafening howl.

“CHEWIE!” called a voice from the room at the end of the corridor.

A second later, Han Solo appeared; frowning at the large dog that was sniffing BB-8 with interest.

“Oh...new friend?”

BB-8 yipped again and everyone laughed as the corgi bounded past the wolfhound and into the room beyond. Han Solo rolled his eyes and shrugged.

“C’mon kids,” he said as he turned. “I’m making martinis. Really dirty ones.”

Poe turned to Finn and grinned.

“I’ve always loved the dirty ones,” he murmured.

“Behave,” Finn replied with a grin.

 

****

 

Hux felt a little more at ease with a dirty martini in his hand. It was very much like a semi-formal cocktail reception in the Solos’ large, bright living room. The others were happily milling about, already getting on famously with Ben’s parents while Hux stood to the side, awkwardly. He never had been very good around lots of people or in unfamiliar places, and the martini was going down rather too quickly.

He had, for a moment, thought Leia Organa had been about to hug him when they had been introduced. Hux was glad that she hadn’t – it had already unnerved him slightly in the way she had looked at him; her eyes fiercely intelligent; figuring him out. Ben’s father was altogether less scary; expertly mixing martinis in double time as he chatted with Rey and Finn and Poe.

Often, Hux wished he was like them. It seemed so easy for other people to be charming; to converse and crack jokes with complete strangers where Hux could barely do that with people he’d known for years. He wasn’t the best house guest, especially when he was guzzling Han Solo’s dirty martinis like they were water.

“So, Hux...” Han asked as he handed Hux a second martini. “I’m curious – is that your first name or your last?”

“Yes,” replied Hux immediately.

Han frowned in confusion.

“No, I meant...”

“He knows what you meant, dad,” Ben said, stepping in.

“Nobody knows,” replied Poe with a wink in Hux’s direction. “It’s like a puzzle we have to figure out.”

Han Solo’s frown deepened.

“So what’s the matter? Embarrassing name?”

“I’ve just never been fond of it,” Hux murmured in response.

“Leave the boy alone, Han,” said Leia, slapping her husband lightly on the arm.

Han looked hurt.

“I’m only asking a question!”

Leia waved him away and smiled gently at Hux.

“Ignore him, he has no social graces,” she said.

Hux managed a smile but stepped back to his corner as soon as her attention turned to somebody else. He really felt uncomfortable around so many people so he tugged on Ben’s sleeve gently.

“Where is the bathroom?” he asked quietly.

Ben’s brown eyes turned on him, betraying a hint of concern. He really did look good this evening despite the odd hair that Hux had pulled out of place earlier – the soft grey of his sweater really suited him in every way.

“You okay?”

“Yes,” Hux replied.

Ben’s eyes searched Hux’s face for a second before he nodded.

“It’s up the stairs to the right,” he said. “You sure you’re alright.”

“Stop being such a mother hen,” Hux murmured.

A hint of a smile tugged at his mouth and Ben relaxed, smiling back.

“Can’t help it,” he replied.

Ben’s finger wrapped around Hux’s finger and gently squeezed it; a small, comforting gesture that Hux was comfortable with in public. It lasted a few seconds before Ben let go and turned back to the room.

Hux didn’t need the bathroom at all – he just needed a bit of breathing space. Martini still in hand, he climbed the stairs, looking at the plush carpet under his feet that extended through the upstairs hallway. He stopped by the bathroom to splash his face with cool water and pat it dry with a soft towel before deciding to explore. It wasn’t exactly snooping as Leia had said to have a look around if they had wanted. The house was large and all the bedrooms were reasonably sized, although most seemed like guest rooms.

The last room he came to was different; looking like it belonged to a teenager. Hux smiled as he realised he’d stumbled across Ben’s old room, although much tidier than the room in Hux’s flat. After he had moved out, his parents had obviously cleaned up and cleared the floor, making sure that things were neatly back on shelves or in cupboards but there were still things about it that were undoubtedly Ben. The walls were covered in posters and old concert tickets; stacks of old magazines in the corner and music disks taking up a whole bookshelf. There were also old photocopies of newspaper articles about Ben’s grandfather taped to the wall next to his bed and Hux shook his head fondly.

Hux felt much more at ease as he made his way downstairs again, fishing an olive from his martini and munching on it as he wandered into a small parlour that faced the garden. During the day, it would have been filled with sunlight, but was currently catching the last of the spring daylight; the pink, purple, and gold sunset visible from the high windows. Hux immediately took a guess that his room was primarily Leia’s due to the books on politics and philosophy that lined the bookshelves.

Glancing around the parlour, Hux’s eyes fell onto a chess set sitting on a small mahogany table; the pieces all set up but no game started. Moving forward, Hux brushed his fingertips lightly across the board before picking up a Knight. The chess set was beautiful – simple, traditional pieces carved from ebony and ivory, inlaid with mother of pearl. It seemed old, like it had been passed down through generations; the black wood of the Knight worn smooth under his fingers.

“Do you play chess?”

The voice behind Hux made him jump; martini sloshing precariously against the rim of his glass as he turned. Leia Organa was standing in the doorway, watching him closely. Immediately, Hux returned the chess piece to the board.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured; eyes sliding to the floor. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“You’re not prying,” replied Leia. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

Glancing up, Hux saw a smile playing about her lips. He took a deep breath and nodded.

“Yes, I do.”

“Well,” Leia murmured. “What do you say to a quick game?”

Blinking, Hux looked at the set and then back to Leia. It had been a very long time since Hux had played a good, challenging game of chess. Despite his nerves and awkwardness, he found himself agreeing.

“I would like that very much.”

 

****

 

Leia Organa had taken one look at that Hux boy and had immediately recognised him for what he was – a nervous wreck inside a hard shell. If she hadn’t already have known about his father, Leia would probably have been fooled into thinking the young man to be rude or standoffish, but a conversation with Ben had led her to be more open minded when she’d met him.

Commandant Brendol Hux was possibly one of the most horrible human beings she’d ever met, and Leia had determined to be gentle and understanding when she met the son. Young Hux had been almost exactly as she’d expected him to be – neat and tidy; his speech, formal. Yet there were other things about him that Leia was only just beginning to piece together now that they were alone.

“Ben tells me you’re an economist,” she said, conversationally as she waited for Hux to take his turn at chess.

They were sitting opposite each other with the mahogany table between them; Leia playing white and Hux playing black. He glanced up briefly; once again, not quite meeting her eyes.

“Yes,” he murmured.

“It makes sense that you play chess,” Leia replied. “Economics takes a lot of strategic planning.”

“It can,” Hux murmured. “I learned to play as a child. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing.”

Leia smiled as she waited patiently for Hux to take his turn. It was strange that Ben had chosen to be with somebody so completely different from himself. It was evident that her son was smitten – the way he looked at Hux...the way he’d talked about him over the phone had given away so much. Despite the troubles they’d had, the two obviously liked each other a great deal. Ben had always been highly strung with a quick temper, even before his diagnosis. Perhaps it was the need for a quieter presence that attracted her son to the redhead – maybe they balanced each other out.

The boy ran his hand over the soft black corduroy of his pants, rhythmically. Leia watched him quietly, a frown beginning to etch into her brow as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. She didn’t know how she hadn’t picked up on it earlier – the neatness; the way he was particular about certain things and resistant to change; uncomfortable around people and with too much physical contact; the way he barely met anybody’s eyes when he spoke to them.

Why hadn’t Ben said anything?

Hux probably didn’t even know it – he’d probably gone through his whole life thinking that it was his upbringing that had made him this way instead of having been born with it. His father had probably made the poor boy’s life hell – making Hux look at him fully; berating him for his tics.

Finally, Hux reached out and confidently pushed his chess piece forward before sitting back in his chair with a satisfied smile. Leia’s brows arched, gracefully.

“That’s a good move,” she said; impressed.

“Your strategy is hard to figure out,” Hux mused.

Leia grinned.

“Do you have it?”

“Not yet,” he replied. “It might take me another few moves.”

She smiled at him and looked at the chess board just as Ben appeared in the doorway; brown eyes shifting quickly between his boyfriend as his mother.

“So, this is where you both disappeared to,” Ben said, leaning against the door frame.

“Hux kindly agreed to play me at chess,” Leia replied.

Hux looked up; green eyes fully meeting Ben’s. It warmed Leia’s heart to see it.

“Your mother’s strategy is difficult to determine.”

Ben grinned.

“Yeah, good luck with that,” he replied before turning back to Leia. “Dad is asking if anything needs to be done to dinner.”

Leia rolled her eyes and shuffled to the edge of her seat; easing herself to her feet.

“I’d best see to it,” she replied. “I don’t trust that man alone in the kitchen.”

She leaned over and quickly made her move, taking one of Hux’s pawns.

“Excuse me for a few moments, dear. Ben – can you help me in the kitchen for a minute?”

“Sure,” her son murmured; throwing his new boyfriend a small encouraging smile as they left him to contemplate his next move.

Dinner was doing just fine – everything cooking the way it was supposed to. It would all be ready to eat in about twenty minutes. Closing the oven door again, Leia tossed aside the oven mitts and turned to Ben.

“You didn’t tell me Hux was on the autistic spectrum,” she said, quietly.

Ben blinked; surprised.

“He’s...not...”

"Oh," Leia replied; surprised. “Maybe I’m wrong. I’m not a doctor, but from what you’ve told me and from what I’ve seen of him, he shows a fair few of the symptoms.”

There were also several things about Hux that contradicted it, but enough was there. It had probably been dismissed by people as just strangeness; rudeness.

“I suppose...a lot of things make sense now that I think about it,” Ben murmured as he leaned against the counter top.

“If he is, then it’s mild. He was probably never diagnosed,” Leia replied. “Judging by the way his father is, he probably tried to beat the tics out of the boy and only succeeded in making them worse.”

Ben’s face darkened.

“Yeah...it took me all the restraint I had not to beat the man senseless. The way he was talking to Hux...how he was treating him...it made me sick.”

Leia smiled and reached for his hand.

“You really care about him, don’t you?”

Her son’s face softened again, a faint pink rising in his face.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “I do.”

“He cares a lot for you too,” Leia said with a smile.

Ben frowned.

“He said that?”

“He didn’t have to,” she replied. “The fact that he’s even here says it for him. The fact that he meets your eyes, but not mine tells me he trusts you. Hux doesn’t strike me as a person who does that easily.”

Ben bit his lip and nodded. Leia squeezed his hand again.

“Come on,” she said. “This dinner will be done in twenty minutes. Let’s take your boyfriend another drink and finish this game up before we eat.”

 

****

 

Dinner had been pretty splendid and very well lubricated. Rey was now stuffed with two helpings of dinner, one of dessert, and at least seven dirty martinis sitting in her belly. Everybody was happily drunk which had made the meal go along so much easier – even Hux had cracked out his trademark sarcasm once or twice and made Han Solo almost spit martini all over the table from trying not to laugh.

Hux seemed to get along better with Leia than with Han, although that may have been more because Han seemed more interested in talking to Rey and Poe than with his son’s new boyfriend. Hux had been abrupt and awkward at first, but after many drinks and a game of chess he had loosened up. Now that dinner was over, Hux and Leia were back to playing chess in the other room; Finn and Ben joining them and throwing up a drunken cheer every so often.

Poe had tried not to show his disappointment that Leia Organa was spending time in another room, but his mood picked up considerably once he and Han got onto the subject of engines. As it happened, the two had a lot in common.

“It’s pretty simple,” Han said as he returned to the table with fresh martinis for them all. “You can pretty much tweak any engine for use in any vehicle.”

“Really?” Poe replied, doubtfully.

They were both slurring slightly as they leaned across the table from each other.

“Well yeah!” Han enthused. “They all do the same job!”

“You can’t put an engine from...from a fighter jet into a car!”

“Sure you can!”

“The car would blow up!”

“Nah! That’s why you tweak it!”

Rey giggled into her martini glass and Poe turned to her, grinning.

“What are you laughing for?” he asked; not unkindly. “You’ll have to know this stuff if you plan on taking Aerospace Engineering exams.”

Han blinked in surprise.

“You’re taking engineering?”

“No,” Rey replied with a frown. “I’m not. I’d never even make it into the university.”

“What if you didn’t have to?” Poe murmured; leaning into her conspiratorially.

“I’d say you probably shouldn’t have any more martinis,” Rey said seriously.

Han waved away Rey’s protests.

“Hold on a minute – listen to the man. What did you have in mind?”

Poe leaned back in his chair and picked up his glass, swirling the cloudy liquid and olives around with his finger.

“Rey has been taking practice exams for fun over the past few months,” he said. “On the mathematics alone, she’s passed the final year paper.”

“Is that right?” murmured Han.

Rey turned bright red.

“I didn’t steal them,” she insisted. “I just wanted to try the equations!”

“I know!” Poe reassured her with a hand on her arm. “And I’m glad you did because you’re actually a fucking genius!”

Rey’s blush deepened as Han laughed.

“Well, I could have told you that! So what’s the plan?”

Poe looked at Rey over the rim of his martini glass.

“I think, given that Rey is a mathematical and mechanical genius already; I can fill in the gaps of engineering knowledge within the next year, and if she wants, I can sneak her into the exams next summer.”

“Are you joking?” Rey asked; eyes wide.

“Nuh uh,” replied Poe. “It’s a hell of a lot of exams to take in a short period of time. Pretty much every exam for the whole course over a couple of weeks, but I think you can do it.”

“Oh my god...”

Han lurched forward in his seat, grasping Rey’s forearm.

“Do it, kid – this is the best offer you’re ever going to get to make an advancement in your life.”

Rey blinked; overwhelmed. Never in a million years had she ever believed she’d get a chance to earn a degree and now Poe was practically offering her one on a plate. If she hadn’t had so many martinis, her brain would have put up more of a fight.

“Okay,” she murmured, still stunned. “Won’t I have to pay anything?”

“Leia and I will pay for whatever you need,” replied Han. “Or...if you prefer...you can come work for me on a part time basis and pay for it yourself.”

Rey’s jaw dropped.

“Are you offering me a job?”

Han shrugged.

“Well...yeah, I guess. I mean...it doesn’t pay much...”

“But you’re offering me a job?”

Han shrugged again and nodded. Rey squealed and flung her arms around his neck, hugging him briefly before releasing him and doing the same to Poe. Han Solo scratched his head awkwardly.

“Jeez, kid. Don’t get so excited...”

“Thank you both,” Rey gushed; breathless and giddy. “I can’t even begin to repay you...”

“No repayment necessary,” laughed Poe. “I just want to know you’re happy and using your full potential.”

Rey squealed again and happily drained her martini. This was possibly the best day of her life so far, and she would forever count herself lucky for meeting these amazing and kind people.

 

****

 

Ben hauled his drunken boyfriend through the door and tripped over his own feet, causing them both to land in a giggling, ungainly heap on the welcome mat.

“Shit,” Ben gasped as he rolled onto his back and pushed a hand through his hair. “We’re so wasted.”

“Your dad makes a killer martini,” murmured Hux; his face pressed into the carpet; green eyes lightly closed.

Ben turned his head to look at him. He was so proud of Hux for making it through several hours with his parents, despite feeling uncomfortable for most of it. His father’s incredible bartending skills had helped, he supposed.

“That he does,” Ben agreed.

Hux murmured a soft noise into the carpet and Ben grinned. He still looked gorgeous in Ben’s green sweater; strawberry blond hair having become much more dishevelled over the last hour as Hux had taken to pushing it back from his face; skin flushed pink from the alcohol.

“Come on,” Ben murmured as he pushed himself up into a sitting position and gave Hux’s ribs a gentle prod. “I’m not letting you pass out in the hallway.”

Hux groaned in protest but allowed himself to be pulled up and to his feet, following Ben as he was led through to his bedroom. They made short work of their clothes; dropping them on the floor without ceremony before climbing between the fresh, warm sheets of Hux’s bed and wrapping around each other; Ben’s knee between Hux’s thigh and a hand gently carding through soft, red-gold hair.

“You were great tonight,” Ben whispered.

“Hmmm?”

“My mom liked you.”

“Did she?” mumbled Hux. “I liked her. She plays chess...”

“I know,” Ben replied with a grin.

“I don’t think your dad liked me though.”

“Of course he did,” Ben said. “You cracked a sarcastic joke and he almost spat martini all over Finn. I call that a win.”

Hux mumbled something unintelligible and snuggled closer to Ben.

A few weeks ago, Ben would have called people insane if they’d told him that he and Hux would end up like this – curling up to sleep together; Hux actively seeking out Ben’s touch and the soft intimacy of sleeping with another person. They had come so far together and learned so much. Now, Ben felt a warm glow spread through his chest and stomach when he looked at Hux curled up next to him; gorgeous green eyes closed, peacefully.

“Hux?” he whispered.

“Hmmm?”

“If I tell you something, will you promise not to freak out?”

“Mmmm...”

Ben bit his lip and pushed Hux’s hair back from his face. Up close like this, Ben could see every one of the pale freckles dusted across Hux’s nose and cheeks.

“I think I might possibly be falling just a little bit in love with you.”

Hux’s eyelids flickered slightly.

“Okay...” he murmured after a moment.

“Wow,” Ben murmured, dryly. “That’s encouraging.”

One of Hux’s eyes cracked open a fraction and looked at him.

“No...” Hux replied, quietly. “I mean...I might...be starting to feel the same way about you.”

Ben blinked, his heart rate picking up, slamming into his chest.

“Oh...okay.”

Hux huffed and shifted in the bed, tucking his head under Ben’s chin as he wrapped an arm around Ben’s waist.

“Idiot...”

Ben grinned and pressed a kiss into the top of Hux’s hair; fingers gently tracing patterns on smooth, freckled skin.

“Your idiot.”

Hux didn’t reply but Ben continued to grin all the same. This was the start of something; he knew that. Only time would tell how far they could take it, but for now he was content with what they had – Hux, in his arms, and asleep...as though they’d been doing this for years and would be like this forever.

 

 

 


	12. One Year Later

Hux’s entire body was covered in bite marks – pale indents of teeth embedded in the reddened skin of his chest and shoulders; the blossoming purple of bruises across his thighs and hipbones. His nails scraped across Ben’s skin, anywhere he could get to – his back; his stomach; the backs of his thighs. Ben loved mornings like this, where they were in no rush to get anywhere and could just take their time in taking each other apart. He had Hux on his back, hips tilted up and long legs wrapped around Ben’s waist as Ben pounded into him; brown eyes locked to green; Hux’s mouth open as he gasped and panted at Ben repeatedly slamming into him. He was gorgeous – strawberry blond hair a mess; a rose flush on his sweat-drenched skin turning his freckles to pale gold. Ben would never tire of looking at him.

“S...s...stop...” Hux suddenly gasped; nails digging into Ben’s thighs.

Ben stilled immediately, a frown of concern settling over his features.

“Are you okay?”

Hux smiled and let out a breathless huff of laughter.

“Yes...I just don’t want to come just yet.”

Ben’s frown melted into a grin as he lowered his body and kissed Hux, softly; running his hands through damp hair and delighting in the rough-soft scratch of Hux’s beard against his face.

“Well, we can’t have that,” Ben murmured against his lips.

“No, we can’t,” Hux replied.

He scraped his nails across the solid muscles of Ben’s arms, all the way up to his shoulders and Ben groaned. He loved the sharp bite of Hux’s nails. He could tell by the sting on his back that his skin would be covered in white welts on angry red; Hux had possibly even broken the skin in a few places but that was the best part as far as Ben was concerned. He kissed his boyfriend once more before sitting back and bending at the waist; taking advantage of the elevated angle of Hux’s hips in order to softly suck at the tip of his cock. Slowly, he started moving again.

Hux’s nails dug into Ben’s hips as he groaned; head falling back against the pillow as Ben continued to suck and fuck him at the same time. Hux was leaking pre-come; smooth and sweet against Ben’s tongue and Ben moaned softly as he tasted it; taking Hux’s cock all the way to the back of his throat before lifting off altogether. Grasping Hux’s hips firmly once more, Ben picked up his pace until he was slamming into Hux again.

Ben knew what Hux liked by now; he knew that Hux loved denying himself an orgasm so that it felt even better when he finally came. When they had the time, Ben loved giving him what he wanted. He could feel Hux start to tense and shake under him again but Ben wouldn’t stop until Hux told him to – that was one of the rules they always adhered to. Hux arched and gasped under him, pushing back against Ben’s cock and taking him deep.

“Oh...sto...stop!”

Ben laughed breathlessly as his hips ceased moving immediately and he dropped down to attack Hux’s neck again; rewarded with a sharp gasp and a soft moan; Hux’s delicate fingers tangling in his hair.

“Fuck, I love you,” Ben murmured against the shell of Hux’s ear.

“I know,” whispered Hux.

Ben laughed again and propped himself up on his elbows; stroking Hux’s hair back from his face with both hands as he looked into those darkened green eyes. He loved these moments too – the soft, sweet interludes between hard fucking; Hux breathing hard against him; keeping him close.

“So. Fucking. Beautiful.”

Hux sighed lightly at him; a smile playing about his lips as he rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Ben’s neck.

“Oh, shut up” he murmured; pulling Ben down into a firm kiss.

Ben ran his hands down Hux’s smooth sides; moaning softly as Hux sank his teeth gently into Ben’s lower lip and pulled.

“I want to ride you,” Hux whispered.

Ben nodded.

“Fuck, yes!”

They both laughed breathlessly as Ben sat back, pulling Hux up with him and into his lap. This way, Hux had 100% control over what happened – how fast; how hard; the right angle. All Ben had to do was hold him.

Hux’s elbows dug into Ben’s shoulders as his fingers tangled in Ben’s hair again; toes on the bed and knees clamped to Ben’s waist. Ben held him by the thigh and steadied Hux’s lower back as Hux rode him, hard and fast; their kisses, messy. This time, he knew Hux wouldn’t ask him to stop – he was chasing that orgasm now and Ben would give it to him, gladly. He loved Hux’s face when he came; loved how he shook and shuddered; mouth dropped open in a silent cry.

Ben felt Hux’s fingers tighten in his hair; his breath, harsh and ragged against Ben’s lips as green eyes stared hotly into his. A second later and Hux was there; clinging onto Ben as his body tensed around his cock; spilling hot and white between their bodies. Ben fucked him until Hux was spent and his grip on Ben grew slack. Swiftly, Ben dumped Hux on his back again and pulled out before taking hold of his own cock and stroking it fast and hard. He’d been so close for the last few minutes that it took no time at all for him to come; his own semen mixing with Hux’s on the redhead’s smooth, creamy skin.

Hux was still fighting for breath; fingers bunched up in the pillow under his head as Ben crawled slowly up his body, cleaning up every marked inch of Hux’s stomach with his tongue. Hux’s green eyes were watching him, dark and hazy as Ben licked up his last bitter-salt drop; pulling Ben in for a kiss. Ben groaned as he settled between Hux’s open thighs; Hux’s tongue pressing against his as fingernails dragged softly down the expanse of Ben’s spine. Their kisses grew softer as their breathing and heart rates normalised; goose bumps rising on their skin as sweat dried. There had been a time once where Hux would have been up like a shot the moment they had finished. Now he was more content to lie for a while; wrapped up under the covers with Ben’s body pressed against his; ignoring the sweaty, sticky feeling for as long as they could.

Laughing gently, Ben rolled slightly to the side and laid his head on Hux’s chest. The steady beat of his heart was soothing, as were the fingers that ran through Ben’s sweat-soaked hair.

“Well done,” Hux murmured.

“Thank you,” Ben replied with a grin.

Hux kissed the top of Ben’s hair gently and lay back against the pillows with a contented sigh. Ben loved him so much. They weren’t perfect – they had their major differences and they argued and fought, but then they would make up again and remember how good they were together. Hux was Ben’s opposite, but it also felt as though Hux completed him. Somehow they just worked, despite everything in the world saying they shouldn’t. When they lay like this together, Ben wasn’t sure how he’d managed to go a day without Hux being in his life. He didn’t know what he’d do without him either, which led Ben back to something he’d been contemplating for a while.

“Marry me,” he said softly.

Beneath him, Hux’s body stiffened; his heart beginning to beat a little faster. Ben didn’t move; knowing Hux would need a minute or two to process it. Ben knew well enough by now not to push him – Hux would never make such a monumental decision on a whim. He’d have to think about it, and although that was less than romantic, Ben knew he’d be getting an honest answer at least.

“Alright,” Hux murmured after a few moments.

Ben smiled, his stomach turning to butterflies as he propped himself up on his elbow and reached under his pillow, pulling out a small black velvet box.

“Thank fuck for that, because it would have been really embarrassing if I’d had to take this back.”

Hux’s eyes went wide as Ben gently placed the box on his narrow chest and peered at his boyfriend from over his forearms, expectantly.

“You planned this,” Hux replied quietly as he picked it up and opened it.

Ben hadn’t been able to afford anything fancy – just a plain gold band; thin, so as not to drown Hux’s slender fingers. He bit his lip as he shrugged.

“Kinda,” Ben said. “I’ve been thinking it for a while...I just never found the right moment ‘till now.”

Hux looked at him with surprise, as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Suddenly, he surged forward, pulling Ben up and in by the back of his neck to kiss him.

“I love you,” Hux whispered softly against Ben’s lips as they broke apart. “I know I don’t say it as often as I should, or as often as I really want to...but I do love you.”

“I hope so,” Ben replied with a grin. “I’d hate to think you were marrying me for my money.”

“What money?”

“Well...for my body, then.”

Hux smiled and pulled Ben close again.

“I’m _definitely_ marrying you for your body,” he murmured.

“Yay!” Ben replied softly as Hux kissed him again; pulling him back down towards the pillows.

This day was already off to the best start, Ben thought. It really only had the potential to get better.

 

****

 

Freshly showered, Hux slipped on clean underwear and one of Ben’s sweaters before padding through the house to the kitchen. He couldn’t remember a day where he’d ever felt happier than this. It was a testament to how far he’d come in a year – before Ben, the thought of relationships or marriage had never even crossed his mind. All his life, Hux had felt like he he wasn’t worth loving and so he never tried; his heart locked behind an impenetrable wall of ice. And then there had been Ben – everything that Hux should never have wanted, and yet he’d found himself craving everything that Ben was. It had taken him a long time, but Hux could finally admit that he loved Ben with his whole heart.

He loved wearing Ben’s sweaters while he made breakfast on lazy mornings – they always carried Ben’s comforting scent; the soft wool keeping him warm against the chill of the kitchen. Ben never seemed to mind. Hux put tea into his mug and coffee in Ben’s as the kettle came to the boil, hearing his fiancé’s heavy footsteps behind him as he wandered into the kitchen.

“Letter from the University,” Ben said, dropping the mail on the kitchen bench as he waved a sheet of paper with the University logo emblazoned in the left corner. “It took a whole fucking year, but they’ve issued a formal apology to me.”

Hux looked up.

“And Snoke?”

“He’s still there,” Ben replied with a shrug. “They’ll be keeping a closer eye on him; giving him less authority over students’ work but they’re not going to fire him. I will, however, be getting my name put on that essay he stole.”

“He deserved much less than that,” muttered Hux.

Ben tossed the letter into the bin and shrugged again.

“Fuck him. He’s not going to spoil my day.”

Hux smiled as Ben wrapped his arms around his narrow waist and buried his nose into the bare strip of skin between Hux’s hairline and the neckline of the sweater.

“Hello,” Hux murmured as he poured water into the mugs; being careful not to dislodge his overgrown human puppy.

“Hi,” Ben replied, just as softly.

Hux smiled as Ben breathed him in and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck.

“Careful, Ben,” Hux said. “You carry on like that and I’ll be having you right here on the kitchen floor.”

“Promises...” murmured Ben.

Hux laughed.

“We’ll end up being monstrously late for Rey’s graduation if we do that.”

Ben pouted and stood up straight; sighing as he released Hux’s waist and turned to get the milk from the fridge.

“You have a point. Don’t want to be late for her big day.”

“It would be very rude of us,” Hux insisted. “Even if we did just get engaged.”

Ben’s pout turned into a grin as he put the milk down on the countertop and wrapped his arms around Hux’s waist again as Hux turned; pushing his hands into Ben’s shower-fresh hair.

“Oh yeah...so we did,” Ben murmured, leaning in to kiss Hux softly.

A small moan of pleasure bubbled in Hux’s chest as Ben’s hands pushed up under the soft wool of Hux’s sweater; running up over his skin.

“Stop it,” Hux murmured. “Think of Rey.”

“Way to ruin the mood,” Ben laughed.

Hux smiled and went back to making the tea and coffee as Ben reached for the bread.

“So, uh...any ideas yet of how you want to do this?” Ben asked as he dropped bread into the toaster. “Engagement...wedding...stuff?”

“Well, I hate long engagements,” Hux replied, briskly. “And I’m not fond of large weddings, either.”

“Does that mean you want to elope?”

Hux looked at Ben, hopefully.

“Can we?”

“No,” Ben replied. “My mother would never speak to me again if we did that.”

“Damn...”

Ben smiled as he stepped up behind Hux and slipped his arms around his shoulders.

“We’ll keep it really small then – my parents...Rey, Finn, Poe...Phasma and Jess.”

“The dogs?”

“Of course – they’re family too,” Ben said. “Your dad isn’t invited.”

“Agreed,” Hux replied, instantly.

He had heard nothing since Phasma and Ben had kicked his father out of the flat a year earlier and Hux honestly couldn’t care if he never heard from the man again. Brendol Hux would just find a spectacular way to ruin a wedding – it was best if he never knew in the first place. He didn’t have the right.

“We’ll have to tell everyone,” Ben murmured.

“I know.”

That was the most nerve-racking part. It was always fine when it was just Ben and Hux, but it still made Hux uncomfortable to talk about their relationship in front of others – it had taken Hux six months to kiss Ben in front of their friends and even then, it was only ever for the briefest of moments.

“You’d best do that,” Hux added quietly. “Just...let me tell Phasma first.”

“Okay.”

Ben pressed a kiss against the back of Hux’s neck before moving away to see to the toast. Hux watched him; hands cradling a tea mug. He didn’t have a doubt in his mind about marrying that man – it made sense in his mind as well as his heart. Hux just hoped everyone else agreed instead of thinking they were crazy.

 

****

 

This was the best day of Rey’s life.

It had been the hardest things she’d ever worked to achieve – a year of evenings spent in the Damerons’ kitchen with Poe teaching her everything she needed to know about Aerospace Engineering; cramming years worth of schooling into such a short space of time. The exams had been the hardest part – so many of them stuffed into a two week period and never in order. Rey had sat a first year paper and a fourth year paper both on the same day once and had come home to collapse on her bed; falling asleep until morning.

All the hard work paid off though. This was the day when Rey could walk across a stage in a gown and cap to receive her official degree qualification, and her whole family would be there to see it. Not her biological family of course, but Rey’s real family – the people who had loved her and supported her over the last few years and helped her get to this point in her life.

Han and Leia were in the crowd; beaming proudly at her from their seats next to Ben and Hux. Phasma and Jess waved at her as she crossed the stage, and Rey had to stop herself from laughing at Finn handing Poe a tissue to wipe away his tears. This was Rey’s moment – she had worked hard for it and nobody could take it away from her.

“We’re so proud of you, baby girl,” Leia murmured into her ear when they all emerged from the Main Hall, thirty minutes later.

“Thank you,” Rey gasped as she hugged Leia tightly; tears beginning to brim in her eyes.

Han and Leia had pretty much become surrogate parents to Rey over the past year. Han had offered her a job working for him at his salvaging business between her studies, and they both had made sure that Rey had everything she needed and that Poe wasn’t pushing her too hard.

Han Solo gently squeezed her shoulders as Rey released Leia and grinned.

“You did real good kid,” he murmured.

“I’m actually surprised,” Ben joked as he sidled up with his hands in his pockets. “I mean, I didn’t think you were going to get off your ass and stop playing Halo long enough to study...”

Rey slapped him on the arm at the exact same time as Han cuffed Ben lightly on the back of his head. Rey laughed.

“You’re a dick,” she replied, grinning.

Ben rubbed the back of his head as he shot a glance at his father.

“Yeah, I’ve been told that before.”

She giggled and threw her arms around Ben’s middle; hugging him tightly. Ben had been the one to keep Rey’s sanity intact between work and study. He’d insisted on an hour spent playing some game or other every day and Rey was thankful for the time taken out to just relax. That was what big brothers were for, she supposed.

“Come on,” said Poe as they all crowded around her. “We need pictures – I have to get photographic evidence of the 19 year old girl who earned herself a first class degree in Aerospace Engineering within a year...just so I can shove it in my students’ faces when they complain at me!”

Rey laughed at him. She owed Poe so much – the late nights he’d pulled on top of his own work to teach her; smuggling her name onto the exam registers; for putting the idea into her head in the first place. Smiling, Rey pulled Poe and Finn next to her as Leia pulled out her camera, and they took pictures until Rey’s face ached from smiling.

“Okay, one more,” she said. “I want one with everybody in it.”

“That’s going to be a bit of a squash,” murmured Phasma, grinning.

“Even better!” Rey replied. “Everybody in – that means you too, Hux!”

The tall redhead had taken Leia’s camera and was backing up to take the picture, but stopped in surprise when Rey beckoned him into the throng.

“Are you sure?” Hux asked; frowning.

“Of course! You’re family too!”

Hux faltered, glancing around him as Poe hailed a passer-by to take the photo instead. Rey grinned at him as he moved into position next to Ben and Phasma in the back row. It was a perfect picture that would go on everybody’s wall – Rey in the middle with her cap and gown, holding a wriggly orange corgi and flanked by Poe and Leia; Finn next to Poe and Jess next to Leia; with Han, Ben, Hux, and Phasma standing behind them; all smiling.

Rey lowered BB-8 to the floor as Leia stepped away to take her camera back, and Rey felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Hey,” Ben murmured in her ear. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

Rey’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Yeah sure,” she replied. “Is everything okay?”

Ben backed up slightly away from everyone else and Rey followed him, a slight niggle of worry in her stomach until Ben smiled at her.

“Yeah,” he said, softly. “Everything is great. I uh...I asked Hux to marry me this morning.”

Rey’s jaw dropped and she clapped a hand to her mouth to stop the squeal of delight that threatened to escape. Ben had talked to her about it several weeks earlier; nervous and unsure of whether or not it was the right move or even if Hux would accept.

“Did he say yes?”

Ben’s grin told her everything before he even spoke.

“Yeah. Yeah, he did.”

“Oh my goooooooood!” Rey hissed excitedly. “That’s so fucking amazing! Congratulations! When are you going to tell everybody?”

Ben shrugged.

“I dunno...at some point.”

“Well, tell them today at dinner.”

“I can’t do that,” Ben murmured, giving Rey’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “It’s your day – we’d be stealing your thunder.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Rey insisted. “This day is already perfect. Just imagine how amazing it would be for everyone to learn that you two are getting married as well.”

Ben smiled at her but shook his head.

“We’ll tell them another time. You just concentrate on being the centre of attention for a change. You deserve it.”

Rey sighed as she leaned in to hug Ben again. She didn’t care what he said – Rey was thrilled at the news and she wanted everyone to be just as happy for Ben and Hux as she was. She was definitely going to prompt Ben to announce it at dinner later.

 

****

 

Han Solo was bartending again and Hux had long since expected to be given the most potent of drinks when this happened. Champagne bottles popped and the pale gold fizz was mixed with gin and peach schnapps, and poured into tall, elegant flutes as everybody milled around the Solos’ living room; chattering excitedly.

Hux had been surprised earlier when Rey had made him join the photograph with everybody else. Of all the people in attendance, Hux had been the least involved with Rey’s degree. Finn was a medical student and had helped Rey with notes and study while Poe had taught the basics; Ben and Phasma had been in charge of relaxation and moral support along with Jessika; and Ben’s parents had supplied her with a job and pep-talks. Hux had done nothing of note besides supply the occasional pizza and run through an equation with her once or twice if Poe was unavailable. The fact that Rey thought of him as family had come as quite a pleasant shock.

“You’re quiet.”

Hux starled slightly at the sound of Phasma’s voice behind his shoulder and he turned sharply. Hus friend grinned at him.

“No more than usual, surely,” he replied.

“Actually yes,” Phasma told him. “You’re sticking to a corner with your cocktail, lost in your own thoughts again. I’ve not seen you like that for a while.”

Hux smiled at her.

“I have a lot to think about.”

“Oh?” Phasma asked; sipping her drink leisurely. “Anything I can help with?”

“You could tell me if I’m doing the right thing,” Hux replied, quietly.

Phasma looked at him curiously over the rim of her champagne flute.

“What’s happened?”

Hux took a brief sip of his cocktail and glanced around him to make sure nobody else was in earshot.

“Ben proposed to me this morning,” he murmured. “I accepted.”

Phasma almost choked on champagne bubbles in surprise; making a grab for a nearby napkin to mop up what had sprayed out of her nose and mouth. Hux smirked.

“Oh my goodness,” Phasma said once she had regained some of her composure. “Hux, that’s wonderful.”

“You don’t think I’m going mad?”

“On the contrary, I think it’s the sanest decision you could have made,” Phasma replied; smiling as she reached out and squeezed his hand.

Hux took a deep breath and squeezed back.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Looking up, he spotted Ben across the room; laughing with Rey and Leia about something. Hux’s stomach back flipped, happily as he watched Ben’s dark eyes light up with delight; his mouth stretched into a perfect, beaming smile.

“I’m so proud of you, you know,” Phasma said softly as Hux turned back to her. “You’ve come so far in just a year – from a man who was convinced he was unlovable, to getting enganged to somebody who clearly adores you.”

“He’s an idiot,” Hux murmured with a fond smile in his fiancé’s direction.

“And you love him,” replied Phasma. “You actually allowed yourself to fall in love with somebody...even if he is an idiot. It’s huge.”

Hux laughed gently.

“Yes, well,” he said, taking a breath. “As long as I’m not being an idiot by agreeing to marry him.”

“You’re not,” Phasma assured him before draining her glass. “Be right back – I need a top up.”

He smiled as he watched his friend walk away before turning to the open French windows and stepping out onto the patio. It was a beautiful summer day and the Solos had the most beautiful garden – a large expanse of well-maintained, green lawn lined with roses and fruit trees that gave off the most delightful scent. Hux breathed it in deeply, feeling the warm sun on his face until footsteps made him glance back over his shoulder.

Ben was standing behind him; hands in his pockets and a soft smile on his face.

“Hello,” Hux murmured.

“Hi,” replied Ben, quietly.

Hux smiled as Ben drew level and reached out to wrap his index finger around Hux’s. It was a habit they’d never really dropped because of Hux’s continued discomfort with public displays of affection. This was just enough – comforting and warm.

“I told Rey,” Ben said; brushing Hux’s shoulder with his.

Hux glanced at him.

“I told Phasma,” he replied. “What did Rey say?”

Ben laughed.

“That we should tell everybody at dinner.”

Hux raised his eyebrows.

“That’s not a terrible plan,” he murmured. “Everybody is here in once place...”

“It’s not fair on Rey.”

“It was her suggestion,” Hux countered. “She wouldn’t have mentioned it if she wasn’t okay with it.”

Ben sighed and released Hux’s finger to wrap his arm around his fiancé’s narrow waist instead.

“You don’t want to give it a little time?” he asked.

Hux frowned.

“Why? Are you thinking of changing your mind?”

“No!” Ben replied; looking offended.

“Me neither,” Hux murmured. “There’s nothing to think about, so we might as well just tell them.”

Ben turned into him and slipped a finger under Hux’s chin, raising his head so that Hux was looking into amused brown eyes.

“You always surprise me, you know that?”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to be predictable,” Hux murmured. “I have to keep you on your toes somehow.”

Ben grinned and leaned in, kissing Hux gently on the lips.

“I love you,” Ben said, softly.

Hux smiled.

“I know.”

 

****

 

“Rey,” said Leia, happily; a glass of champagne in hand as she led the toast. “I’m sure you have some idea of how proud we all are of you. You’ve worked so hard and achieved so much – it’s an honour to share this day with you.”

“Hear hear!” Poe bellowed as everyone at the table clapped and cheered.

As always, the celebration dinner had been fantastic and the champagne flowed freely. Ben had always thought that his mother threw the best dinner parties and the fact that Rey hadn’t stopped smiling all day was testament to just how happy she was with everybody around her like this. He watched her duck her head to hide the radiant beam of her smile and the pink blush of her cheeks.

“Thank you,” she giggled.

Leia smiled at her.

“It’s our absolute pleasure to hold this celebration for you,” Leia continued. “I know Han and I think of you as family...we think of all of you as family...”

“I _am_ family,” muttered Ben.

Beside him, Hux smiled and squeezed his knee.

“...and to have you all here today, eating a celebratory meal and all in support of our darling girl, warms my heart to the core. I hope you will all join me in a toast...to Rey.”

Everyone dutifully raised their champagne glasses and murmured the toast as Ben took a sip and sighed. Sometimes it honestly felt as though his parents liked Rey more than they liked him. He knew it was petty and stupid, but sometimes, in moments like this, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy; especially with the fond smile his father gave the nineteen year old girl sitting opposite. Ben knew his father would have been happier if he’d turned out more like Rey – interested in cars and engines and electrical and mechanics.

Under the table, Hux found his hand and linked their fingers together, gently. Ben turned his head, looking into green eyes filled with mild concern, and he gave his fiancé a reassuring smile. Hux understood him without Ben even having to say a word.

“Come on, Rey! Speech!” cheered Finn as he nudged his friend in the ribs.

Rey glanced around the table, looking lost.

“Uh...I don’t really know what to say!” she exclaimed. “I mean...I’ve thanked all of you about a million times over the past year that I’m sure you’re all getting tired of the sound of it!”

Everyone laughed and Rey shrugged, her eyes meeting Ben across the table. She gave him a wicked smirk and sat up straighter.

“Besides,” Rey said. “Why would you want to listen to me babbling on when Ben has an announcement to make?”

Ben’s stomach plummeted as all eyes turned on him in surprise. Under the table, Hux squeezed his hand.

“Uh...no, it’s fine. Something for another time,” Ben mumbled.

“Nonsense!” replied Rey with a grin. “I insist – while we’re all in the mood to celebrate.”

Across the table from him, Han raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“You got a new job or something, kid?” he asked. “Spit it out – I can’t stand the suspense.”

Ben threw Rey an irritated scowl, but she ignored him and continued to beam. He felt hot under everybody’s curious stares and suddenly very nervous.

“We’re getting married,” Hux said, unexpectedly from Ben’s right.

The whole table erupted as Ben glanced at his fiancé in surprise. Hux blinked calmly at him.

“It seemed like you were uncomfortable saying it,” he murmured.

“I don’t like being put on the spot like that,” Ben replied quietly as they were both suddenly swarmed by Finn, Poe, and both of Ben’s parents.

“CONGRATULATIONS!” everybody seemed to say at once.

“I knew you two were meant for each other right from the start,” Poe said, grinning as he squeezed Ben’s shoulders encouragingly.

“He’s not joking,” added Finn. “It’s all he’s been going on about for a year.”

Ben laughed as his father ruffled his hair, affectionately.

“Wow...” said Han; his voice holding a hit of surprise and disbelief. “Congratulations, kids. I’m happy for you.”

“We’re happy for you both,” murmured Leia as she gave Hux’s hand a gentle squeeze and turned to hug Ben. “Although, I must say I wasn’t expecting this!”

Ben grinned at her as the hugs and kisses subsided and everyone returned to their seats; Rey still smirking at him from behind her champagne flute.

“Well, we really didn’t want to steal Rey’s thunder,” he replied; rubbing the back of his neck, nervously.

“I already told you,” Rey piped up from opposite. “You’re not stealing anything!”

Ben shrugged at her and turned to look at Hux. His fiancé looked flushed and slightly awkward from all the hugging and congratulations – Ben reached under the table for his hand and Hux squeezed it tightly.

“How long have you been engaged?” Leia asked as Han popped open another bottle of champagne to top up everybody’s glasses.

“Uh...since about nine-thirty this morning,” Ben replied with a grin.

“You’re working fast then!” joked Han.

Ben shrugged.

“Yeah well...we don’t want a long engagement.”

Across the table, Jessika leaned forward.

“So...do you have any ideas yet? Venue or time scale or...anything?”

Next to Ben, Hux cleared his throat gently.

“Nothing big,” he told her. “We really just want the people sitting at this table to attend. Right?”

He looked to Ben for confirmation and Ben smiled at him.

“Yeah,” Ben murmured. “Small wedding, sometime pretty soon I guess.”

Leia picked up her glass of champagne and took a thoughtful sip before speaking.

“You could always have it here,” she said. “On the lawn...under the arbour. We can get in some caterers. Ben’s uncle Luke can officiate.”

Hux frowned.

“Uncle Luke?”

“Yeah, he’s mom’s brother,” Ben replied; rolling his eyes. “Him and dad were kind of an unofficial thing until he introduced dad to his twin sister and the rest is history. Now, he’s a priest.”

“He’s a minister,” Leia corrected him.

“Whatever,” Ben muttered. “He’s a gay hermit minister who once dated my dad – like that’s not weird.”

“Hey, if I could have married both of them, I would have!” Han said cheerfully; earning himself a slap on the arm from his wife as Rey and Finn dissolved into giggles.

Hux hid his smile behind his glass as he took a sip.

“I think that sounds lovely,” Hux murmured. “Just something small.”

“Can we dress up?” asked Phasma; blond brows arched. “I so rarely get the occasion to put on a gown.”

Ben glanced at Hux, who nodded slightly.

“Why not?” Ben replied. “Let’s get extravagant.”

“Mildly extravagant,” Hux corrected. “We don’t want your parents out of pocket.”

Han scoffed as he picked up the champagne bottle and got to his feet.

“Don’t ridiculous! My son only gets married once. Well...we hope.”

“Thanks, dad,” Ben muttered; dryly.

His father grinned at him and raised the champagne bottle high.

“To Ben and Hux!”

“TO BEN AND HUX!” came the deafening, resounding cheer.

Ben looked over at his fiancé again and smiled as Hux hooked a finger around his under the table. It was official now – no backing down. They were getting married.

 

****

 

“Might I bother you for a second?”

Leia turned around in surprise to find Hux standing in the kitchen doorway; his hands full of dessert dishes.

“Of course, honey,” she replied brightly; taking the dishes from him.

It was incredible how much Hux had come on from their first meeting. The first time they had met, Hux had been awkward and uncomfortable around so many people at once, preferring to distance himself from the rest. A year later and he had managed to sit through an entire dinner party where half the focus had been on him. He seemed to be content with it.

Hux closed the kitchen door behind him, blocking out all the chatter from the dining room.

“I don’t want to overstep,” Hux began; running a hand through his hair. “But in past conversations with Ben, I was made aware that there was a ring that had belonged to his grandfather. I believe you have it in your possession.”

Leia’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“That’s right,” she replied. “Ben begged me from being a little boy to let him have it but I always refused. I have no love at all for the memory of my biological father, but it was the last thing Ben Kenobi gave to me before he died and so I’ve always kept it safe.”

Hux nodded.

“I understand,” he said, quietly. “And I understand if it’s something you want to keep; but I wanted to ask if I might have it...to give to Ben on our wedding day.”

Leia leaned against the kitchen bench and looked the boy over, carefully.

“He’d lose his mind,” she replied with a smirk.

“I know,” Hux murmured. “I can’t tell you how much it would mean to him and...I would love to see his face when he sees it.

Leia’s face cracked into a warm smile and she nodded.

“Of course you can have it,” she said. “It’s just gathering dust in the safe, and this is the perfect opportunity for Ben to have it.

Hux breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” Leia replied, stepping forward to take hold of Hux’s hands. “I’m really happy for you both. After all you’ve been through, you deserve this.”

Hux blinked down at her and nodded, awkwardly. Leia squeezed his hands and smiled.

“Come on. Let’s get back to the others before they get suspicious.”

Hux agreed and she steered him towards the kitchen door again. She liked that boy a great deal. Despite their differences, she could see that Ben and Hux complemented each other perfectly and they obviously adored one another. It was incredible how much they’d both developed over the last year and that Ben and Hux had both found somebody who loved them just the way they were – bad days and all. That’s all anyone really needed.

 

****

 

Champagne always gave Poe the worst hangovers but he never learned his lesson. Besides, his little Rey just got her hard-earned degree and the idiots downstairs got engaged, so the hangover was completely worth it. He was just glad he’d taken the day after the graduation off work as a holiday so that he could nurse it away.

Three of them were sprawled over the couch in the apartment – Finn with his head in Poe’s lap, emitting the softest, quietest groans as Poe lazily scraped his fingernails against his scalp; Rey kneeling on the floor with her head resting against Finn’s belly and hands brushing the floor. Getting up hadn’t quite worked for any of them that day so they had given up; forgoing even coffee so they could just lie there and not move.

Poe was dozing quite nicely when Rey’s text alert sounded. Finn groaned irritably.

“Shhhh...” he mumbled at it.

Poe smiled at him.

“You should answer that,” he murmured softly. “It’s only going to go again if you don’t.”

Finn groaned again as Rey shifted and dug around in the pocket of her borrowed sweatpants.

“No moving...sleep...” mumbled Finn.

Poe scratched Finn’s head lightly and opened his eyes; leaning over to accept the phone Rey was holding out to him without even lifting her head or opening her eyes.

“It’s Ben,” Poe murmured in surprise.

“Whass’he want?”

Poe opened the message and blinked; rubbing his eyes and squinting at the screen to make sure he’d read it correctly.

“He wants to know if you know anybody who sells rare animals.”

Rey blinked as she looked up at him with a frown.

“What the fuck?”

Poe shrugged.

“Why would he think I know anybody like that? What’s he after? A fucking dragon?”

Finn groaned again, louder this time as he covered his ears with his hands.

“Noise...too loud...sleeeeeeeep.”

With a soft noise of indignation, Rey closed her eyes and settled down with her head on Finn’s belly again. Finn gave her messy brown hair a sympathetic pat.

Reading the message again, Poe scratched his head. It depended on what kind of rare animal Ben was wanting, but Poe might just have known a guy that could help.

 

****

 

Hux’s fiancé had been very secretive in the couple of days following Rey’s graduation and the announcement of his engagement to Ben. If Hux had trusted Ben any less, he might have been worried about some kind of infidelity going on with the amount of text messages and hushed phone calls behind the closed door of Ben’s room. As it stood, Hux was confident that Ben would tell Hux in his own time.

Still, Hux was surprised to come home from work mid-week to find Ben on the living room floor, hastily stuffing a lid onto a brown box with holes at the top. The box was emitting a soft, rustling noise and for a second, Hux was terrified that Ben had brought home rats.

“What in the hell have you got there?” he asked; frowning.

Ben jumped guiltily and glanced at the rustling box.

“Uh...it’s something for you.”

Hux’s frown deepened.

“It’s not rats is it? I hate rats.”

“It’s not rats,” Ben assured him. “It’s actually...kind of an early wedding gift.”

Hux’s frown disappeared as his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“A wedding gift?”

Ben grinned at him as Hux moved to sit down in his armchair. Hux eyed the box cautiously as Ben moved it closer to him.

“Just...hear me out,” said Ben as he sat up on his knees and looked excitedly at Hux. “Okay, so, as you’re aware, I’m a giant history nerd...”

“Painfully aware,” murmured Hux.

Ben stuck out his tongue.

“Anyway...there was this ancient custom of the Vikings where men used to give their new spouses a cat as a wedding gift. I mean, these cats were usually bigger than average – more the size of BB-8 or even bigger, but they were a good, practical gift of the age...”

“What are you trying to say, Ben?” Hux asked, warily.

Taking a deep breath, Ben picked up the scuffling box and offered it to Hux.

“You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to find a Norwegian Forest breeder,” Ben replied.

Cautiously, Hux took the box and lifted the lid. Immediately, a green-eyed, ginger head popped over the side and blinked up at him. It was an immensely fluffy kitten with a red-gold coat and white stomach – already the size of a small, fully grown house cat but the large eyes and rounded face gave it away as still being a kitten; about ten weeks old. It squeaked softly at Hux and he almost melted.

“Ben,” he said, as sternly as he could manage. “You’re not supposed to give animals to people as gifts.”

Ben’s face fell.

“Oh...”

“Too late now,” Hux continued, lifting the giant kitten from its box and holding it up to his face. “It’s mine. I’ve claimed it.”

Ben’s face relaxed again and he sighed in relief.

“Asshole,” he muttered, sitting back and kicking Hux’s foot with his own. “I thought you hated her.”

“How could I?” Hux replied as the kitten snuggled up under his chin, mewing pitifully. “She’s ginger.”

Ben laughed; relieved.

“What are you going to call her?”

Hux looked at him steadily for a moment. He’d never had a pet before. It wasn’t something his father had ever approved of – it wouldn’t go to have his son seeking or giving affection to an animal in absence of human affection. Hux had no experience of naming animals or anything at all. He could only think of one name.

“Millicent,” he murmured. “Millie – after my mother.”

Ben smiled gently at him as he leaned over to give the kitten a soft scratch under her chin.

“I like it.”

Hux smiled and rubbed his cheek over Millie’s fluffy fur, delighted when she began to purr. As he and Ben looked at each other, Hux suddenly remembered that he had something for Ben too.

“It’s not anything as spectacular as a giant kitten,” he said, leaning forward to flip open his bag. “But I thought it would make you happy to have this.”

He reached in and pulled out an academic journal, almost identical to the one from a year ago that had featured Ben’s stolen essay. Curiously, Ben took it.

“Page twenty-three,” said Hux.

Glancing up at him for a second, Ben flipped to the correct page. Hux watched Ben’s dark, doe eyes widen; heard his breath catch.

“They re-published it with my name on it,” Ben murmured.

Hux nodded.

“Snoke may not have been dismissed from the University, but at least now everyone in your field knows he took credit for your work...and now you’ve reclaimed it.”

Ben’s eyes were damp as he looked up again and smiled. Quickly, he got to his knees and leaned forward, avoiding the large fluffy kitten in order to kiss his fiancé softly.

“Best wedding gift ever,” he murmured.

Hux smirked.

“You’re so easily pleased.”

“Fuck you,” Ben replied with a grin.

“Not in front of the baby,” Hux said innocently, indicating to the purring Millie in his arms.

Ben laughed and fell back on the floor.

“You are such an asshole! I have a good mind to take the cat back.

“Don’t you dare! She’s mine.”

Ben shook his head, running his hands through his hair as Hux watched him. He still couldn’t quite get over the fact that Ben had bought him a cat. Not just a cat, either – this was an incredibly rare breed, from what Hux could recall out of his minimal knowledge of cats. She must have cost him a fortune.

“Thank you, Ben,” he murmured, fondly.

“You’re welcome,” Ben replied from the floor; grinning to himself.

Hux smiled as he settled back with his new pet; Millie purring away as she snuggled into him. He was already smitten. Ben may have to fight her for a place in the bed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter did not want to be written! The universe was against us! But we have managed and it is finally here...as is the end of this AU.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read, left kudos, commented, drawn artwork, and just supported us over the last couple of months. It had meant everything to us and you've all kept us going.
> 
> We hope to see you all again when we start our next fic.

“What about fois gras?”

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and silently counted to ten to calm himself down. Beside him, he felt Hux’s green eyes shift from his tablet to look at Ben from the corner of his eye.

“I don’t care,” Ben muttered.

His mother sighed on the other end of the phone.

“You don’t care? How can you say that, Ben? It’s your wedding – you’re getting married and we want the best for you. Weddings are meant to be perfect days! You really should care what you pick for your menu.”

“Look, mom...I don’t care, okay? I don’t care if you pick truffles or fois gras or fucking duck terrine! I don’t even care if we have fucking pizza! Just please stop pushing me on this!”

“Alright, alright!” Leia replied; defensively. “I’m sorry; I just thought it was important. Weddings take a lot of planning, Ben...even the small ones.”

Ben sighed again and pushed his hair back from his face. Ever since they had announced their engagement, it was as though everyone had gone into wedding overdrive and Ben was feeling increasingly stressed out and panicked. All he’d wanted was to be Hux’s husband – he’d never realised that he’d need to pick outfits and music and food as well as the date.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Okay, honey,” Leia murmured. “Just don’t leave it too long.”

Ben promised not to and hung up the call; resisting the urge to hurl his phone at the wall on the other side of the bedroom. Next to him, Hux gently placed his tablet to the side and turned to him.

“Are you alright?”

“No,” Ben growled. “I fucking hate this wedding bullshit. I’m starting to think you were right.”

Hux frowned.

“About what?”

Ben ran both hands through his hair and turned to his fiancé with a heavy sigh.

“We should have eloped,” he replied.

Hux’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“I thought,” Hux murmured as he shifted in the bed; turning and moving closer to straddle Ben’s lap and gently push him back towards the pillows, “that your mother would never speak to us again of we did that.”

“She’d get over it,” grumbled Ben.

He ran his hands up Hux’s sides as the redhead kissed him gently; Ben’s fingers edging up under the soft burgundy sweater that Hux had borrowed from him and never given back. Ben didn’t at all mind.

“Poor darling,” Hux whispered against his lips. “This really isn’t doing your mental health any good at all.”

Ben pulled him close and sighed.

“I just want to marry you,” he whined. “I don’t give a flying fuck about fancy food or expensive outfits...I never cared about having a wedding; I just want to skip to the marriage part.”

“No frills?” Hux murmured.

“Absolutely none.”

Hux kissed him again, gently tugging at Ben’s lower lip for a second before resuming his soft kisses; hands stroking through Ben’s hair. Ben couldn’t quite believe how much he loved this man; loved the feel of his skin and the way he could calm Ben down when he felt himself losing his cool. Ben would happily spend the rest of his life with him, if only he could find a way avoiding all the wedding stress.

“Fuck it,” he murmured; gripping Hux by the tops of his arms and pushing him back slightly. “Let’s do it.”

“Do what?”

“Elope.”

Hux blinked at him for a second before sitting up.

“What happened to incurring your mother’s wroth?”

“I don’t care,” Ben replied. “Everybody is so hell-bent on giving us a perfect wedding that they never really stopped to ask us if that’s what we wanted.”

He ran his hands across the smooth, bare skin of Hux’s thighs before pulling himself up and wrapping his arms around that narrow waist. Hux settled in his lap; arms around Ben’s neck and green eyes studying him closely.

“Let’s elope,” Ben whispered. “Let’s just do it.”

“What? Now?”

“It’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

Hux’s forehead creased slightly.

“I want whatever will make you happiest,” he replied, quietly.

Ben smiled at him; arms tightening around Hux’s waist; fingers grazing bare skin under Hux’s sweater.

“In that case, let’s just blow off this stupid fussy wedding and go get married.”

“And where do you suggest we go?” Hux asked; shifting in Ben’s lap. “It’s the middle of a Saturday – who the hell will we find to marry us at such short notice.”

“That’s so typical of you to find the flaw in the plan.”

“Well if we’re going to do something stupid and impulsive, I’d at least like to know it’ll definitely work out,” replied Hux with a smirk.

Ben bit his lip.

“We’ll go to my Uncle Luke. He lives a few hours from here and we were going to ask him to do the ceremony anyway.”

“Your gay hermit, minister uncle?”

“That’s the guy,” replied Ben with a grin. “He does weddings for a living – he’ll have the shit available to do it for us with no notice.”

Hux blinked again; eyes roaming over the entirety of Ben’s face.

“Alright,” Hux said slowly. “How are we getting there?”

“Borrow Poe’s car?”

“Won’t we have to tell him where we’re going?”

“We’ll just tell him we’re going to visit my Uncle!” Ben said; getting frustrated. “Do you want to do this or not?”

“Of course, I do,” replied Hux. “Get some pants on and we’ll go!”

Ben grinned and reached up to kiss him.

“See, this is why I love you – you’re always there to talk me out of doing the stupid, impulsive things except for when you benefit from them.”

“Why would I try to talk you out of something that has advantages?” Hux murmured as he stroked Ben’s hair back from his face. “I much prefer getting married this way.”

Ben pulled Hux down to him and kissed him, hard; fingernails scraping down his smooth, pale back and making Hux groan.

“I love you.”

“I know,” Hux murmured. “Now, let’s hurry up and elope before we’re discovered and forced to do it properly.”

 

****

 

Rey wandered into the Damerons’ flat, wearing training clothes and a frown. On the couch with his head in Poe’s lap, Finn looked up from his revision and blinked at her.

“Everything okay, Rey?”

“Yeah...uh...you don’t know where Ben is do you?” she asked, looking confused. “We were supposed to do some Djem So this afternoon, but their flat is empty.”

Poe glanced up from his own work and lowered his glasses.

“They went for a drive,” he replied. “Ben was here about an hour ago, asking to borrow my car. I told him he could, as long as they took BB-8 with them and filled up the tank.”

Rey frowned.

“A drive?” she repeated. “Where to?”

“Something about visiting his uncle,” Poe said with a shrug.

Rey’s frown deepened. It wasn’t like Ben to blow off training without telling her - usually, he at least sent her a text if something came up and he couldn’t make it. Taking off with Hux to go visit an uncle was very uncharacteristic, so it must have been important...

“Hang on,” Rey muttered. “Ben only has one uncle, right? Luke Skywalker.”

“What about him?”

“He’s a minister,” she said, purposefully.

Poe and Finn only blinked.

“He performs weddings.”

Finn laughed.

“You think they’ve eloped?” he chuckled. “Nah...they wouldn’t do that. Would they?”

“Ben wouldn’t have gone on an impromptu trip to visit his minister of an uncle and cancel our training session without telling me,” Rey insisted. “Something is up.”

“You know, Ben has been really grouchy and stressed regarding all the wedding stuff,” Finn mused.

Poe gasped and dropped his papers on top of Finn’s face, causing his husband to sit up and splutter in shock.

“They did!” he said in disbelief. “They took my god damn car and my god damn dog, and they’ve run off to get married without us!”

“They wouldn’t do that...”

“They would,” said Rey and Poe together.

Silently, they looked at each other for a few seconds before Finn tossed his notes aside and stood up.

“Alright,” he said. “Poe and I will get Phasma; Rey – call Han and Leia. We’re going after them.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked Poe, doubtfully.

Finn shrugged.

“They’re our friends. We can’t let them get married without being there to support them. They’re probably only doing this because everyone went batshit crazy over giving them a ‘perfect’ wedding.”

“Finn is right,” Rey replied. “Besides...when you two got married, it was a rainy Wednesday morning at a registry office with me and Jess and a corgi – and you two still maintain it was the best day of your lives.”

Poe grinned.

“It was.”

Finn smiled and rolled his eyes.

“At least we had friends with us. We can’t let them get married without us.”

Rey was already pulling her phone from the pocket of her sweatpants.

“I’ll call Leia – I think Han has a van that can fit all of us...”

Sighing, she dialled Leia’s number. No matter how Ben’s parents reacted to this news, they wouldn’t be half as upset as Rey – she’d never expected to be wearing sweatpants to her friends’ wedding rather than a nice frock. There were never enough occasions in her life to wear a frock.

 

****

 

Luke Skywalker had expected a nice, quiet day at the temple. It wasn’t very often that he had a weekend to himself where there were no kids to counsel or elderly to visit; no births or deaths or marriages or youth group. Luke liked being able to pull on an old sweater and potter about the place; getting his paperwork in order and tying up any loose ends that he’d neglected over time. The last thing he’d expected as he sat down at his office desk with coffee and freshly baked banana bread was to see a sleek, black car pull to a screeching stop outside the window and for two arguing men to step out.

Sighing, Luke put his coffee and snack to the side, and went out to deal with it.

“All I’m saying is that if you’d only stopped and asked for directions...”

“I didn’t need directions!”

“Oh really? Because I’m pretty sure we drove around in a circle for about an hour before you finally realised you should have taken an exit!”

“WE WERE NOT DRIVING AROUND IN CIRCLES! I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE I WAS GOING!”

Luke blinked at the two men – both tall; one slim and red-haired; the other, broad and dark. A small, round-bellied corgi bounded around their feet, yipping happily as the two men got up in each other’s faces; snarling. Luke Skywalker was no stranger to breaking up fights, but he really wished he didn’t have to do it on his day off.

“Hey,” he called to them as he trotted down the steps of the temple. “Do you kids maybe want to come back another time? Maybe when you’ve cooled off?”

“NO!” They both shouted; turning towards Luke.

He blinked.

“Okay then...”

The taller of the two men – the dark-haired one – crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. There was something incredibly familiar about that pout...

“Well...” the young man muttered to his partner. “This is assuming you still want to marry me after this.”

The redhead rolled his eyes.

“Oh, don’t be such a fucking drama queen, Ben!”

A lightbulb flashed above Luke’s head at the mention of a name. He should have known that pout from anywhere – it was identical to Han’s.

“Ben? Ben Solo, is that really you?”

Ben shrugged and uncrossed his arms, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah, I guess so. Did you not recognise me, Uncle Luke?”

“I recognised the pout,” Luke replied with a grin, stepping forward to embrace his nephew.

Ben must have stood a good six or seven inches taller than his uncle at the very least and the hug was pretty awkward.

“This must be your fiancé, am I right?” he said, turning to the slim redhead who was still wearing a scowl. “Your mother said you were getting married...”

“Yeah...uh...Hux, meet my Uncle Luke. Uncle Luke, this is Hux.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” the redhead murmured, shaking Luke’s hand.

“Likewise. Hux...? Is that a first name, or a last?”

“Yes,” both Ben and Hux replied.

“It’s a long story,” muttered Ben. “But basically, we’re here to get married.”

Luke’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“What? Now? What happened to the wedding you guys were planning?”

“We decided it wasn’t for us,” Hux murmured.

“I see,” Luke replied quietly. “Does your mother know about this?”

Ben shrugged.

“Probably. I would expect them to be not far behind us, knowing how fast our friends figure stuff out.”

Luke sighed and pushed his hair back from his face. Leia probably wouldn’t be thrilled about this, but then it really wasn’t up to her how or when her son got married.

“Come on then,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a gardener still here and probably another person we can haul in as a witness. Let’s get the paperwork filled in and get you two married before he cavalry arrive.”

So much for a quiet day, Luke mused as he turned and headed back into the temple; Ben, Hux, and the fat orange corgi behind him.

 

****

 

It wasn’t like he was regretting their decision to elope, but Hux did wish he’d stopped long enough to tell Phasma where they were going. She would never have tried to stop them; and although Hux was much more comfortable with an elopement than a proper planned wedding, he couldn’t help feeling guilty for going behind everybody’s back. Yes, it had been a stressful couple of weeks and neither he nor Ben were thrilled about it all; but everyone had just been trying to help.

However, they were here now; getting married in jeans with a corgi and a gardener as witnesses, and the minister wearing the ugliest sweater Hux had ever seen in his life. Even in spite of the argument in the car, this was the wedding Hux was much happier about. They didn’t need it to be fussy – they just needed each other.

Luke was bent over a large marriage register, filling in the details so it would be ready for them to sign immediately after the ceremony; Ben fidgeting beside him. Hux reached out and took his hand.

“Are you still sure you want to do this?”

Ben looked at him in surprise.

“Of course I still want to,” he replied. “I asked you, didn’t I?”

“Yes you did,” murmured Hux. “But if you had changed your mind...”

“Is this about the fight in the car?”

Hux, looked at the floor.

“I’m just reminding you that we fight a lot, Ben. There will be more fights and arguments because we still have our differences...”

“And we’ll get through them,” Ben whispered fiercely. “I want to fucking marry you, okay? Shitty times included.”

Hux felt the corner of his mouth lift in a smile as Luke glanced up from his register.

“Alright, young man. I need a name.”

“Hux,” he replied automatically.

Luke Skywalker put down his pen and sighed.

“Look...I can’t just put ‘Hux’ on this register. I need your name – your full, legal name, otherwise this contract is not legal and binding, and I could go to jail. I’ve already been there once and it wasn’t really for me. I’m too pretty to be behind bars.”

Ben snorted in amusement and looked away, hiding his smirk.

Hux sighed. He’d always hated his first name; always avoided giving it out to other people. He’d even kept it from Ben for the last year, but that time had now come to an end.

“Brendol,” he replied, quietly. “Brendol Hux.”

Ben’s head snapped back as dark eyes focussed on him again.

“Fuck, no wonder you were never fond of it.”

“Yes, well...”

A smile tugged at Ben’s full mouth.

“Bren...” he murmured. “Bren suits you. Not Brendol – just Bren...”

Hux’s heart skipped a beat. Up until the moment Ben had said it, it had never occurred to him that he could shorten his name to something else; that he didn’t have to live with a last name only. He’d been given a name he hated; one he felt he could never live up to but now...it felt like Ben had given him his own; a name that was all his. Feeling his face heat up, Hux ducked his head.

“Oh, shut up,” he replied as Ben grinned at him.

“Okay,” Luke said finally; lifting his head. “Let’s get this show on the road. Do you kids have your own vows?”

Ben and Hux glanced at each other.

“Uh...”

“If you don’t, I have a card that has some pre-prepared vows on it. Not exactly special, but they’ll do in a pinch.”

“No,” replied Ben. “I’m pretty sure we can come up with something.”

Hux frowned.

“Do they have to be long?”

“Nah,” laughed Luke. “A few sentences will be fine.”

Hux sighed in relief. He loved Ben but he wasn’t exactly known for his romanticism and speech-making. He couldn’t exactly come up with something sweet and exceptional when he had time to plan, never mind such short notice.

Ben squeezed his hand gently and smiled.

“C’mon Bren,” he murmured. “Let’s do this.”

 

****

 

Han Solo’s minivan hurtled down the highway at the maximum speed it could manage, weighed down with six adults who all jostled for space as they tried making themselves look as wedding-presentable as possible while travelling in a moving vehicle. In the front passenger seat, Leia Organa chewed guiltily on her fingernail.

“This is all my fault,” she muttered. “If I hadn’t had pushed him...”

“It is not your fault,” Han replied. “They’re big boys, Leia – they know what they’re about.”

“I just wanted them to feel like their wedding was important to us,” she continued, as though had never spoken. “They deserved a special day and I just wanted them to know they they’re loved and appreciated...”

From the back seat, Rey reached over and squeezed Leia’s shoulder, comfortingly.

“We know,” she replied. “Stop blaming yourself. You know how Ben is – it just probably got him panicked and Hux doesn’t like a fuss. They probably thought they were doing everyone a favour by taking the stress out of wedding planning.”

“They know we love them,” Han chipped in. “We wouldn’t all be driving to Luke’s in order to catch the ass-end of an elopement if we didn’t.”

Leia smiled and nodded.

“Ben will probably be so pissed,” she chuckled.

“Good,” replied Rey. “It serves him right for cancelling my Djem So to get married instead.”

 

****

 

“Have you at least got rings?” Luke asked with a sigh.

The vows had pretty much gone as disastrously as expected, and Ben was still laughing as he dug out the small velvet box that housed Hux’s simple wedding ring from his pocket.

“Yeah, we got those,” he replied.

Hux’s ears were still bright pink as he fished around in his own pocket, but Ben didn’t think he’d ever loved him more. This was what they were – a total mess who fucked up trying to be sentimental and romantic. It was why a traditional wedding would have been the worst.

Ben took the plain gold band from the box and took Hux’s hand in his; still trying to stop his giggles. Luke took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak when the temple doors were suddenly pushed open, clattering loudly and causing them all to jump in shock. BB-8 yipped delightedly and his short legs carried him fast to the exit where he bounded into Poe Dameron’s waiting arms. Ben blinked as everybody filed into the temple around him.

“Have we missed it?” cried Han.

Ben blinked in disbelief as Luke laughed and waved them all in.

“You’re late to the show as usual, Solo, but just in time for the best part.”

Hastily, everyone sat down in the front row to watch. Poe held tightly onto his dog as he sat next to Finn and Rey who both grinned and waved at Ben. Phasma blinked at them serenely from beside Ben’s mother, who just gave him an encouraging smile. Ben had somewhat expected his family and friends to follow them, but he’d thought they would have made it to the end of the short ceremony first. Hux shrugged at him.

“I guess we can’t get rid of them, no matter how hard we try,” Hux joked.

Ben grinned at him.

“No, I guess we can’t.”

Luke shook his head and waved for quiet as Ben slipped the gold band onto Hux’s ring finger. It fit perfectly; just delicate enough for Hux’s hands. Ben smiled as Hux let out a short, shaky breath.

“Hux?” Luke prompted.

Hux was startled from staring at his hand and opened his own box.

“I really hope this fits,” Hux murmured as he took out the gold ring. “I didn’t really get a chance to find out if it needed to be re-sized.”

Ben almost stopped breathing as Hux took his hand and slid the ring onto his finger. He knew that ring as well as he knew the back of his hand – at least fifty years old and made of thick yellow gold, studded with rubies.

“This is my grandfather’s ring.”

“Yes,” Hux murmured. “The day we announced, I asked your mother for it. We agreed that it would mean more to you than anything I could choose.”

Ben stared at it, heart thudding in his chest as the rubies glittered in the candlelight of the temple. He’d coveted his grandfather’s wedding ring for as long as he could remember and had always been denied it. Ben had pretty much given up hope of ever possessing it but now it sat on his ring finger as his own wedding band; fitting it as perfectly as it had been made for him.

Overcome with emotion, Ben took Hux’s face in his hands and kissed him. Behind them, his family and friends erupted into cheers.

“Ben and Hux have showed their devotion to each other by the giving and receiving of rings,” Luke said cheerfully. “I would say ‘you may now kiss’, but I think you kids have that covered.”

Hux’s mouth curved into a smile against Ben’s lips; delicate hands tugging gently at the hem of Ben’s sweater to bring him closer.

“I love you,” Hux whispered; just loud enough for Ben to hear.

Ben grinned and kissed his husband again.

“I know,” he murmured.

 

****

 

Hux wasn't used to so much hugging. He put up with it - being squeezed by Leia and pounced on by Rey; Poe and Finn both clapping him heartily on the back and Han shaking his hand so vigorously, Hux felt like it would come off. He was relieved by the time he got to Phasma; knowing that she would never hug him in a million years.

"An elopement?" she said with a smirk.

"Sorry," Hux replied; quietly. "I did want to tell you but...we left in a bit of a hurry."

Phasma just smiled at him and reached out to smooth down Hux's shirt collar that was sticking up above his sweater.

"You don't need to apologise to me," she murmured. "You did what was right by you and and as long as you're both happy, that's all that matters."

Hux sighed in relief. He had known that Phasma would understand, but still, he did wonder what he'd ever done right in his life to deserve such an angel. Phasma was like a sister, a counsellor, and a best friend all rolled into one blonde, blue-eyed darling. It had taken him a very long time to realise that they were family, but once he had, Hux had never looked back. He'd loved people all along; he'd just been too closed-off to know it.

"I'm so proud of you," Phasma continued with a smile. "How does it feel to be married?"

Hux scratched his head; thoughtfully.

"Much the same as not being married," he replied. "Nothing has changed, except that I have a ring on my finger and everybody is standing in a temple...and my name has changed too."

"Hux-Solo, now," Phasma said; grinning.

"Yes. Bren Hux-Solo."

Phasma's light eyebrows arched upwards in surprise.

"Wow. We're actually using a first name now. Things _have_ changed."

Hux ducked his head to hide a smile. Ben had been right about his shortened first name - it suited him; it felt right when Ben spoke it aloud; it was his. Most of all, Hux found that he liked it. Glancing over to his husband, he saw Ben with his arms around Leia's shoulders and he smiled.

"Yes," he agreed. "Yes, they have."

"Although Jess will be disappointed that she missed it."

Hux turned back to her and guiltily bit his lip.

"We'll do something when she gets back," he promised.

"I know," replied Phasma. "I had this really nice dress all picked out. I'll have to find another excuse to wear it."

"Fancy dinner party?" suggested Hux.

His friend laughed at him and linked her arm through his.

"Now that sounds like something I could get behind."

 

****

 

Leia was still chewing nervously on her thumbnail as the congregation broke the pews to congratulate the newly-wed couple. Ben awkwardly thanked everyone and allowed Rey to hang around his neck for a good minute, telling him how stupid he was and how happy she was for both of them until she finally let him go. His eyes met his mother's and Ben immediately looked at the floor again as he made his way to her; hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry..." Ben began.

"No, Ben," Leia interrupted. "I'm sorry. Nobody ever stopped to ask you what you wanted and I'm guilty of pushing a lot of decisions onto you that you didn't want to make..."

Ben slid his hands from his pockets and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around his mother.

"No, Mom - you just wanted to make it special. Honestly, I kinda wanted the nice wedding day at first, but then it all got stressful. I just wanted it over and done with and the more people tried to make it 'perfect', the worse everything got."

"I understand," replied Leia; quietly. "You forgive me?"

"Do you forgive me for eloping?" chuckled Ben. "Because I guess we're kind of even on fuck-ups."

Leia laughed and squeezed her son; gently.

"I'm not sure there is anything you could do that I wouldn't eventually forgive," she murmured. "As long as you're happy."

"I am."

Ben smiled as he hugged his mother tightly. This had honestly been the best day of his life and even though they had eloped, Ben was never happier that their family and friends had followed so they could all be together. 

 

****

 

The local pub was ancient but comfortable; sporting an old style bar and lounge with low-hanging wooden beams and seats made of old whisky barrels. A fire roared in a huge stone fireplace and they served locally made cider in large tankards. The pub owners knew Luke well, and they were enchanted by BB-8 so the wedding party were given free hog roast for dinner and kept in plentiful supply of good cider.

Finn, Rey, and Poe lounged on the rug in front of the fire as Han, Leia and Luke took up one of the cushion-strewn bench seats with Hux snuggled up to Ben on the other. Hux didn’t think he could ever have been happier in his life as he was at that moment – married to the love of his life and getting slowly and cheerfully drunk of cider with his family around him; even if Poe had managed to get hold of their marriage certificate.

“I can’t believe it was ‘Brendol’!” Poe groaned. “All these years and it really was just that simple!”

“He was convinced you were called Herbert or Algernon, or something equally as terrible,” laughed Finn.

“Although, Ben’s right,” Poe continued. “You do really suit ‘Bren’...”

Hux rolled his eyes and made a grab for the paper in Poe’s hands.

“Yes, well, I’d appreciate you not calling me that.”

“But it’s cute,” insisted Rey.

“Then I _insist_ you never call me that,” Hux replied.

From the bench opposite, Han burst out laughing.

“I remember when Ben hated his name too,” he chuckled. “What was it you insisted on being called again? Kyle Loren?”

Next to Hux, Ben rolled his eyes.

“It was Kylo, dad. If you’re going to make fun of my youth, at least do it right.”

Smiling, Hux squeezed his husband’s hand, as Ben draped his arm over Hux’s shoulders.

“Oh, that’s right,” laughed Han. “That was during your goth phase wasn’t it? Oh no, wait...it was emu.”

On the rug, Rey almost choked on her cider as Finn fell back on the rug, laughing so hard he had to hold his sides. Hux felt Ben’s chest shake with laugher as he buried his face into Hux’s neck from sheer embarrassment of his father.

Hux loved the way Ben’s family were – they were so liberal and open that it was refreshing; never really dancing around a subject and always telling things the way they were. It embarrassed Ben sometimes, but their stories were funny and honest, and sometimes damned shocking.

“I think it’s called ‘emo’, honey,” Leia said with a grin; patting Han’s knee.

“Yeah, an emu is a bird,” Luke chipped in.

“Didn’t I once smuggle an emu?” Han asked his brother in law with a frown.

Luke thought for a minute before shaking his head.

“That was an ostrich.”

“Oh yeah!” replied Han, brightly.

From the rug, Rey had finally got her coughing under control.

“Why on earth were you smuggling ostriches?”

“Well...funny story...”

Ben suddenly sat up and shook his head, firmly.

“Rey, I swear to you, you do NOT want to hear this story.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“If I remember correctly, it involves my dad and Uncle Luke going into some backwater bar and my dad losing a bet. There are tentacles involved somewhere.”

Luke started snickering behind his tankard of cider.

“Oh yeah, I remember that.”

Everyone on the rug suddenly sat up a little bit straighter.

“Well, now we have to hear it,” said Poe; flashing Ben an innocent smile.

Hux grinned as his husband groaned loudly against his shoulder. Hux gently patted Ben’s arm.

“Don’t worry darling – it’ll all be over soon.”

“It will be if I kill them,” Ben muttered, quietly.

Hux shrugged.

“We could always go elsewhere?” he suggested.

Ben lifted his head and raised an eyebrow.

“Like where?”

“Like that pretty country hotel we spotted about a mile up the road?” replied Hux. “I have some money saved up – we could afford a suite for the night.”

Ben’s smile turned wicked as he wrapped his arms around Hux’s waist and pulled him closer.

“Now that sounds like an infinitely better idea than listening to stories about the Old Days,” he murmured against the shell of Hux’s ear.

 

****

 

They had barely even noticed what the room looked like as they’d stumbled through the door; Ben’s sweater already being thrown on the floor as he dragged Hux’s own heavy wool garment over his head; making the fine strawberry blond hair stand up with static. Hux laughed; soft and breathless as Ben immediately attacked his favourite line of pale gold freckles with his mouth; teeth scraping over Hux’s pale, smooth skin.

Ben had lost count of how many times they’d done this – undressed each other in a hurry; tearing away clothes to get to bare skin as quickly as possible. Even after a year, just the thought of sex with Hux still excited Ben more than he could describe. They knew each other so well; knew what they liked and how to press each other’s buttons; how to take each other apart slowly but also how to get off as fast as possible. It was never boring; never the same; just the scent of Hux’s bare skin and the touch of it under Ben’s fingertips enough to drive him wild.

They fell onto the bed in a tangle of long limbs; Hux’s teeth sinking into Ben’s bottom lip and nails digging into the backs of his thighs as Ben’s hands buried into soft, strawberry blond hair. Ben moaned loudly into Hux’s mouth as Hux released his lip and kissed Ben, hard.

“You are fucking gorgeous,” Ben whispered as they broke apart; panting.

“Shut up,” groaned Hux.

Quickly, Hux hooked an ankle over Ben’s calf and flipped them over; settling into the space Ben made for him between his thighs. Ben gasped as Hux’s hips pressed down against his; cocks, hard and sliding smoothly against each other. Hux roughly grabbed Ben’s wrists; pulling his hands from his hair and slamming them on the bed by Ben’s ears.

Ben loved it when Hux took control like this. Hux was always in control, whatever they did – controlling their speed and intensity; their positions and orgasms; always being the more dominant partner even...or especially...if he was getting fucked. However, when Hux was rough with Ben in this way, Ben knew he was in for the fuck of his life and it drove him almost out of his mind with lust. His heart thudded hard in his chest as Hux made his way down Ben’s body; teeth biting; lips sucking bruises on his chest and stomach and the insides of his thighs; fingernails raising white hot welts on Ben’s skin.

Hux could draw blood but Ben didn’t care; moaning his husband’s name loudly as Hux worked him over; his fingers tangling into red hair as Hux pushed Ben’s legs up by his thighs and went to work, eating him out with enthusiasm.

“Oh fuck...Bren...”

Hux moaned softly; the sound vibrating against sensitive skin. Ben smiled to himself.

“You really like that, don’t you?”

“Hmmf...” Hux replied; tongue delving deeper inside Ben’s body and leaving both of them incapable of speech for several minutes.

Ben loved it. He loved the sound of Hux’s first name on his tongue just as much as he loved the feel of Hux’s mouth on him and the pleasurable scratch of Hux’s red-blond beard against his ass. His Bren...only his...

He loved being roughly flipped over onto his stomach and dragged up onto his knees; Hux’s teeth digging into the solid muscle of Ben’s shoulder as he pushed into Ben’s body from behind; fucking him hard and fast with Ben screaming into the pillow.

“Don’t do that,” Hux panted; fingers tangling into Ben’s hair and pulling his head up. “Don’t muffle the sounds you make. I want to hear them all. I want the whole fucking building to hear how much you love this.”

Ben whimpered in response; panting into Hux’s mouth as his face was pulled around by Hux’s delicate hand. Hux kissed him roughly; smiling as he bit down on Ben’s lower lip again and made Ben cry out.

He loved it too much – being fucked so hard that his eyes brimmed with tears; biting down on Hux’s thumb in his mouth as he came over and over again; spilling hot, white liquid all over the expensive bedspread and screaming his release so loudly that his throat hurt.

“I can’t...” Ben gasped after his fourth orgasm. “I can’t...”

Ben’s legs trembled uncontrollably; threatening to give out on him. Behind him, Hux’s hips ceased their pounding and soft lips grazed the shell of his ear.

“No more?” Hux asked him quietly.

Ben shook his head. His body was both numb and overly sensitive; knees threatening to buckle. He almost cried in relief when Hux withdrew and gently lowered Ben to the mattress; turning him over and stroking his hair as he pressed soft kisses to Ben’s throat and neck. This might have been Ben’s favourite part – trembling in Hux’s arms as he was lovingly kissed and caressed through his comedown; Hux stroking himself to orgasm; spilling over the sweat-soaked skin of Ben’s hip and moaning Ben’s name against his lips.

Sticky and sweating; they both started to laugh as Hux collapsed with his head on Ben’s chest.

“I think I’m getting too old for this,” he murmured.

“Oh don’t say that,” laughed Ben. “I just married you and I was looking forward to a really fucking hot honeymoon period.”

Hux huffed in amusement as he reached for Ben’s hand; linking their fingers together; wedding rings both glinting in the lamplight as they sat next to each other.

“I like it when you call me Bren,” Hux whispered. “For years, it never occurred to me that I could have that – not until you said it.”

“You know what sounds even better?” Ben murmured.

“What?”

“Bren Hux-Solo.”

Slowly, Hux raised his head; green eyes blinking at Ben in the strange light.

“Yes,” he said softly. “That does sound better. It sounds like my name.”

Ben grinned at him and reached up; stroking back Hux’s sweat-soaked hair.

“Best wedding ever?” he asked.

Hux smiled and kissed Ben, softly.

“It was terrible,” he replied. “And therefore, it was completely perfect.”

Ben laughed and collapsed back against the pillows, gathering Hux up into his side and pressing his lips to Hux’s hair.

“Yeah,” he sighed. “It was perfect.”

 

 

THE END


End file.
